Article 74 of the Saudi Law of Evidence
المادة 74 من نظام الإثبات · الفصل الثالث: إجراءات الإثبات بالشهادة
The Article provides that testimony is given orally and may be given in writing with the court's permission, and that the court may administer an oath to the witness when necessary and assess the effect of his refusal to swear.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- تؤدى الشهادة شفاهاً. ويجوز أداؤها كتابة بإذن المحكمة.
2- يجوز للمحكمة تحليف الشاهد عند الاقتضاء، وإذا امتنع عن الحلف فتقدر المحكمة أثر ذلك.
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 74 explained in plain English
This Article regulates the manner in which testimony is given and administering an oath to the witness:
- Paragraph (1) – orally is the rule: Testimony is given orally, that is, by speaking before the court. It may be given in writing, but only with the court's permission.
- Paragraph (2) – administering an oath to the witness: The court may administer an oath to the witness when necessary, that is, when it sees a need for it. If the witness refuses to swear, the court assesses the effect of that.
The oath is therefore not a required step in every testimony; it is left to the court's assessment. Likewise, the Article does not set a fixed result for a witness's refusal to swear, but leaves it to the court to weigh this refusal and its effect on the testimony.
This Article is linked to Article 73, which provides that a party who asks for time to bring his witnesses is given time once, and to Article 75, which requires testimony to be given in the presence of the parties and each witness to be heard separately unless there is a valid need, and provides that the absence of the party testified against does not prevent hearing it.
In practice, a person who wants his witness to give testimony in writing because of some circumstance must ask the court's permission, because the rule is oral testimony. A person who needs to assess the position of his witness in a particular case can consult a lawyer specializing in litigation.
Practical example
A witness in a case between two companies in Jeddah lives in another city and finds it difficult to attend. He may give his testimony in writing if the court permits. If the court sees a need to administer an oath to him and he refuses, the court assesses the effect of his refusal.
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 74 of the Saudi Law of Evidence
Can testimony be given in writing?
Yes. The rule is that testimony is given orally, and it may be given in writing with the court's permission.
Does a witness always swear an oath before testifying?
The court may administer an oath to the witness when necessary, so it is left to its assessment.
What happens if the witness refuses to swear?
The court assesses the effect of the witness's refusal to swear.
More articles on Testimony and Witnesses
- Article 11
Admission, interrogation, testimony and the oath take place before the court, which may move or assign a judge if that is not possible, and delegates the court of the place of residence if evidence cannot be taken electronically.
1- تكون إجراءات الإثبات من إقرار أو استجواب أو أداء للشهادة أو اليمين أمام المحكمة، فإن تعذر فللمحكمة أن تنتقل أو تكلف أحد قضاتها بذلك. 2- إذا كان المقر أو المس
- Article 12
A mute person's admission, interrogation, testimony and oath, and the directing, refusing and returning of it, are done in writing, or if he cannot write, by his customary gestures.
يكون إقرار الأخرس ومن في حكمه واستجوابه وأداؤه للشهادة واليمين وتوجيهها والنكول عنها وردها بالكتابة، فإن لم يكن يعرف الكتابة فبإشارته المعهودة.
- Article 19
A non-judicial admission is proved in accordance with the provisions of the Law of Evidence, and may not be proved by testimony except in cases where proof by testimony is permitted.
يكون إثبات الإقرار غير القضائي وفق الأحكام المقررة في هذا النظام، بما في ذلك عدم جواز إثباته بالشهادة إلا في الأحوال التي يجوز فيها الإثبات بالشهادة.
- Article 65
The Article provides that the rule is that proof by witness testimony is permitted, unless a provision states otherwise.
يجوز الإثبات بشهادة الشهود؛ ما لم يرد نص يقضي بغير ذلك.
- Article 66
The Article requires every transaction worth more than SAR 100,000, or of unspecified value, to be proven in writing, bars proof by witnesses unless agreed or provided, and explains how value is assessed.
1- يجب أن يثبت بالكتابة كل تصرف تزيد قيمته على (مائة ألف ريال أو ما يعادلها) أو كان غير محدد القيمة. 2- لا تقبل شهادة الشهود في إثبات وجود أو انقضاء التصرفات ال
- Article 67
The Article sets out three cases in which proof by witnesses is barred even if the value of the transaction does not exceed SAR 100,000.
لا يجوز الإثبات بشهادة الشهود ولو لم تزد قيمة التصرف على (مائة ألف ريال أو ما يعادلها) في الحالات الآتية: 1- فيما اشترط النظام لصحته أو إثباته أن يكون مكتوباً.
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.