Article 2 of the Saudi Juveniles Law Implementing Regulations
المادة 2 من اللائحة التنفيذية لنظام الأحداث
Article 2 requires the law enforcement authorities, if they have no official document to rely on for the juvenile's age, to refer him immediately to the competent medical body to estimate his age urgently.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
إذا لم تتوافر لدى جهات الضبط أي وثيقة رسمية يُعتمَد عليها في معرفة سن الحدث؛ فتحيله فورًا إلى الجهة الطبية المختصة لتقدير سنه بصفة عاجلة.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 2 explained in plain English
Age determines whether a person is a "juvenile" or not, and under Article 1 a juvenile is anyone who has completed seven years of age but not yet eighteen. What if his age is not known?
This article answers:
- The situation: the law enforcement authorities have no official document they can rely on to know the juvenile's age.
- The procedure: the law enforcement authorities refer him immediately to the competent medical body.
- The purpose: to estimate his age urgently.
The emphasis on immediacy and urgency has practical importance, because knowing the age determines the procedures that apply to the person as a juvenile or a non-juvenile. The article does not specify the method of medical estimation or how long it takes.
What counts first is the official document; medical estimation is used only when there is no document that can be relied on. Anyone with a case in which age is disputed may consult a lawyer specializing in criminal and juvenile cases.
Practical example
A law enforcement authority arrests a young man who carries no official document, and he claims to be 16 years old. Since there is no document to rely on, the authority refers him immediately to the competent medical body to estimate his age urgently.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 2 of the Saudi Juveniles Law Implementing Regulations
How is a juvenile's age determined if he has no ID?
The law enforcement authorities refer him immediately to the competent medical body to estimate his age urgently.
Is medical estimation used when there is an official document?
The text ties the medical referral to there being no official document that can be relied on to know the age.
More articles on Definitions and Estimating a Juvenile's Age
- Article 1
Article 1 defines the Regulations' terms, including a juvenile as anyone who has completed seven years of age but not yet eighteen, the competent juvenile court, and the Ministry's Home.
يقصد بالكلمات الآتية -أينما وردت في هذه اللائحة- المعاني المبينة أمام كل منها: 1- النظام: نظام الأحداث. 2- اللائحة: اللائحة التنفيذية للنظام. 3- الوزارة: وزارة
- Article 13
Article 13 provides that the Regulations are published in the Official Gazette and take effect thirty days after the date of publication.
تنشر هذه اللائحة في الجريدة الرسمية، ويعمل بها بعد مضي (ثلاثين) يوماً من تاريخ نشرها.
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.