Article 26 of the Saudi Mental Health Law

This Article identifies the bodies competent to deal with the violations set out in Article 25, the penalties Article, which covers for example a false report about a mental condition, detention outside the places and cases the Law provides for, mistreating or neglecting a patient, enabling him to escape, disclosing his secrets, and false reporting.

Paragraph (a): investigation and prosecution

The Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution, as the text states, investigates these violations and prosecutes them before the judicial authorities.

Paragraph (b): applying the penalties

The competent court applies the penalties provided for in the Law. The penalties in Article 25, including prison and fines, are not imposed by the facility or the supervisory councils but are issued by the court.

The practical meaning is that a person who is subjected to one of these violations, such as someone detained without legal basis or whose secrets were disclosed, has his case dealt with criminally through the investigation authority and then the court. Under Article 25 this does not prevent bringing disciplinary proceedings or a private claim.

The Article does not name the competent court or set out litigation procedures; those are subject to the relevant judicial and procedural laws.

If you have a specific case, it is best to consult a lawyer who specializes in criminal cases and health regulations.