Article 8 of the Saudi Money Counterfeiting Law

This Article deals with attempt, that is, beginning to commit the crime without completing it.

The rule: attempting any crime under this Law is punished.

The amount of the penalty: a penalty equal to half the penalty prescribed for the completed crime.

How is this applied? One looks at the penalty the Law prescribes for the completed crime, then the attempter is punished with the equivalent of half of it. The Article does not explain in detail how the half is calculated with respect to the two limits of the penalty, so this is left to the judicial authority.

The practical meaning is that someone who began counterfeiting currency or circulating it and did not complete his act, for whatever reason, does not escape punishment, but his penalty is lighter than that of someone who completed the crime.

This Article is connected to Article 7, which punishes the accomplice with the same penalty as the crime, and to Article 9, which provides for punishing these crimes whether committed inside the Kingdom or outside it.

The Article does not define attempt or specify when it begins, and assessing this returns to the judicial authority according to the facts.

To assess the position of a particular person or to defend in a pending case, it is advisable to consult a lawyer specializing in criminal matters.