Article 27 of the Saudi Mental Health Law
المادة 27 من نظام الرعاية الصحية النفسية
The Article gives employees appointed by the Minister of Health to catch violations of the Law the status of judicial officers under the Law of Criminal Procedure.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يكون للموظفين الذين يعينهم وزير الصحة لضبط المخالفات المنصوص عليها في هذا النظام صفة رجال الضبط الجنائي المنصوص عليهم في نظام الإجراءات الجزائية.
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 27 explained in plain English
This Article deals with the stage of catching violations, meaning discovering and establishing them before they are investigated.
It contains two provisions:
- Appointment: the Minister of Health appoints employees to catch the violations set out in this Law.
- Status: these employees have the status of judicial officers provided for in the Law of Criminal Procedure.
Granting this status means that what these employees do in catching violations is not mere administrative observation but falls within the framework that the Law of Criminal Procedure sets for judicial officers. This Article does not detail the powers or procedures of judicial officers, which appear in the Law of Criminal Procedure and not in this Law.
This Article completes the procedural chain for violations in the Law: catching by employees appointed by the Minister of Health, then investigation and prosecution under Article 26, then application of the penalties by the competent court.
The status is not limited to a particular employee but covers those the Minister appoints for this specific purpose.
If you have a specific case, it is best to consult a lawyer who specializes in criminal cases and health regulations.
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 27 of the Saudi Mental Health Law
Who catches violations of the Mental Health Care Law?
The employees the Minister of Health appoints for that purpose.
What is the status of the employees who catch violations of the Law?
They have the status of judicial officers provided for in the Law of Criminal Procedure.
More articles on Penalties for Mental Health Care Violations
- Article 25
The Article sets the penalties for violating the Law, from up to two years in prison and a fine of up to SAR 200,000 for false reports and unlawful detention, to a fine of up to SAR 50,000 for breaching rights.
أ - مع عدم الإخلال بأي عقوبة أشد تنص عليها أنظمة أخرى، يعاقب كل من يخالف أحكام هذا النظام بأي من العقوبات الآتية : 1 - السجن بما لا يزيد على سنتين وغرامة مالية
- Article 26
The Article assigns investigation and prosecution of the Article 25 violations to the Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution, and the application of penalties to the competent court.
أ ـ تقوم هيئة التحقيق والادعاء العام بالتحقيق والادعاء العام أمام الجهات القضائية في المخالفات المنصوص عليها في المادة (الخامسة والعشرين) من هذا النظام. ب ـ تتو
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.