Article 6 of the Saudi Ministers Trial Law
المادة 6 من نظام محاكمة الوزراء
The article provides that conviction of a minister or someone of equivalent rank necessarily leads to dismissal and deprivation of public office, and of membership of boards of authorities, companies and institutions and any post in them.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يترتب حتما على الحكم بإدانة الوزير أو من في مرتبته، عزله من منصبه وحرمانه من تولي الوظائف العامة ومن عضوية مجالس إدارة الهيئات والشركات والمؤسسات، ومن أية وظيفة فيها.
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 6 explained in plain English
This article sets out effects that follow necessarily from a judgment convicting a minister or someone of equivalent rank, meaning that they arise by force of the text without any separate discretion. They are:
- Dismissal from office.
- Deprivation of holding public office.
- Deprivation of membership of the boards of directors of authorities, companies and institutions.
- Deprivation of any post in those authorities, companies and institutions.
These effects are in addition to the principal penalty for the crime, such as the 3 to 10 years' imprisonment prescribed in Article 5 for crimes like abuse of influence and accepting benefits. The text does not specify a period for this deprivation.
Article 7 also provides another effect of conviction, which is that the convicted person is sentenced to return what he gained from his crime, with the possibility of awarding compensation to the injured party. Articles 5, 6 and 7 thus form a complete picture: a principal penalty, then dismissal and deprivation, then return of gains and compensation.
This is a general explanation of the text and not an opinion on a particular case; anyone who needs an assessment of a specific situation should consult a lawyer who specializes in criminal and administrative matters.
Practical example
A judgment was issued convicting a minister of accepting a benefit in return for an official act. In addition to the imprisonment penalty, he is necessarily dismissed from office, and he may not afterwards hold public office, or accept membership of the board of a company in Riyadh that was offered to him, or any post in it, because Article 6 prevents this.
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 6 of the Saudi Ministers Trial Law
What follows from convicting a minister?
His dismissal from office, and his deprivation of holding public office, of membership of the boards of authorities, companies and institutions, and of any post in them, follow necessarily.
Can a convicted minister work in a company?
The text deprives him of membership of the boards of directors of authorities, companies and institutions and of any post in them.
Does dismissal need a separate judgment?
The text says that these effects follow necessarily from the judgment of conviction.
More articles on Effects of Conviction and Ancillary Penalties
- Article 7
The article requires a sentence for the convicted person to return what he gained from his crime, and allows the trial panel to award compensation for harm to any natural or legal person.
يترتب على الحكم بإدانة المتهم وفقا لهذا النظام، الحكم عليه من قبل الهيئة الحاكمة برد ما أفاده من جريمته. ويجوز لهيئة المحاكمة أن تحكم بتعويض ما حدث من ضرر لأي ش
- Article 8
The article requires a death sentence to be unanimous for it to be carried out; if it is issued by majority, the case is referred to the judiciary to decide it.
لا تنفذ عقوبة القتل إلا إذا كان الحكم صادرًا بالإجماع. أما إذا صدر الحكم المذكور بالأغلبية فتحال القضية إلى القضاء للبت فيها.
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.