Article 109 of the Saudi Officers Service Law
المادة 109 من نظام خدمة الضباط · الفصل الأول: الاستيداع
The article regulates placing an officer on standby by the Minister's decision on the recommendation of the Senior Officers Committee for four reasons: medical unfitness, his own request, being accused of a crime, and failing the promotion exam, with a three-year limit for the last.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يحال الضابط إلى الاستيداع من قبل الوزير بناءً على توصية لجنة الضباط العليا ويحدد في القرار مدة الإحالة إلى الاستيداع وذلك وفقاً لما يأتي :
أ- تتم الإحالة إلى الاستيداع بسبب عدم اللياقة الطبية بناءً على تقرير طبي من اللجنة الطبية العسكرية مصادق من رئيس هيئة الأركان العامة.
ب- تتم جوازاً إحالة الضابط إلى الاستيداع بناءً على طلبه لأسباب مقنعة يوافق عليها من رئيس هيئة الأركان العامة.
ج- تمت إحالة الضابط إلى الاستيداع بسبب اتهامه بارتكاب جريمة إذا اقتضت ظروف التحقيق والمحاكمة ذلك بناءً على توصية رئيس هيئة الأركان العامة حتى يبت في أمره.
د- تتم جوازاً إحالة الضابط إلى الاستيداع إذا قصر في امتحان الترقي مرتين أما إذا قصر في امتحان الترقية ثلاث مرات فيجب إحالته إلى الاستيداع ولا يعود الضابط المحال إلى الاستيداع إلى الخدمة إلا بعد اجتيازه الامتحان في المواد التي قصر فيها. وفي الحالتين لا تزيد مدة الإحالة على الاستيداع عن ثلاث سنوات طيلة حياة الضباط الوظيفية وعند استغراقها وعدم إعادة الضابط إلى الخدمة بسبب اجتيازه الامتحان الذي أخفق فيه يجب حتماً إنهاء خدمته.
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 109 explained in plain English
This article regulates placement on standby, which is done by the Minister on the recommendation of the Senior Officers Committee, and the decision sets the period of placement. It has four grounds:
- (a) Medical unfitness: based on a medical report from the Military Medical Committee approved by the Chief of the General Staff.
- (b) The officer's request: permissibly, for convincing reasons approved by the Chief of the General Staff.
- (c) Accusation of a crime: if the circumstances of the investigation and trial require it, on the recommendation of the Chief of the General Staff, until his matter is decided.
- (d) Failure in the promotion exam: permissibly if he fails twice, and mandatorily if he fails three times.
Paragraph (d) sets additional provisions:
- An officer placed on standby for this reason does not return to service except after passing the exam in the subjects in which he failed.
- In both cases the period of standby may not exceed three years throughout the officer's career.
- When this period is used up without his being returned to service by passing the exam he failed, his service must necessarily be terminated. (The wording of the published text at this point is unclear in its phrasing, and the context indicates this meaning.)
The practical meaning is that standby is a temporary status in which the officer is kept away from actual service for one of these reasons, and the decision sets its period. An officer against whom a decision placing him on standby has been issued may consult a lawyer specializing in administrative cases and military service matters.
Practical example
Captain Waleed failed the promotion exam three times, so his placement on standby became mandatory. He does not return to service except after passing the exam in the subjects in which he failed, and if three years pass without his passing it and being returned, his service must be terminated.
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 109 of the Saudi Officers Service Law
What are the grounds for placing an officer on standby?
Medical unfitness, the officer's request for convincing reasons, his being accused of a crime if the circumstances of investigation and trial require it, and failure in the promotion exam.
Is an officer placed on standby if he fails the promotion exam?
It is permissible if he fails twice, and mandatory if he fails three times.
What is the maximum period of standby because of the promotion exam?
It may not exceed three years throughout the officer's career, and when it is used up without his being returned by passing the exam, his service must be terminated.
More articles on Placement on Reserve and End of Officer Service
- Article 8
The article puts a second lieutenant on probation for two years, then a third year in another unit if his confidential reports are unsatisfactory, after which he is dispensed with, without rights, if they remain so.
يعتبر الضابط المعين في رتبة ملازم تحت الاختبار لمدة سنتين فإذا كانت تقاريره السرية غير مرضية ينقل إلى وحدة أخرى لمدة سنة ثالثة فإذا كانت تقاريره عند نهايتها غير
- Article 22Amended (1423 AH)
The article ends the service of an officer of the rank of major or below who has spent four years beyond the period in Article 18 without meeting the promotion conditions in Article 21.
إذا أمضى الضابط من رتبة رائد فما دون أرب سنوات في رتبته بالإضافة إلى المدة المقررة في المادة (18) من هذه النظام ولم تتوافر شروط الترقية المنصوص عليها في المادة
- Article 25Amended (1423 AH)
The article retires a lieutenant colonel, colonel or brigadier after six years in the rank without promotion: in the next rank if recommended for promotion, and in his own rank if not, with the service of a doctor officer extendable.
أ- إذا أمضى الضابط الموصى بترقيته من رتبة مقدم وعقيد وعميد مدة ست سنوات في رتبته ولم يرق أو بلغ سن التقاعد في رتبته قبل ذلك يحال إلى التقاعد بالرتبة التي تلي رت
- Article 26Amended (1403 AH)
The article retires a major general who has spent three years without an order extending his service, and allows extension for renewable periods by decision of the Supreme Commander unless he reaches retirement age.
إذا أمضى اللواء ثلاث سنوات في الخدمة ولم يصدر امر بتمديد خدمته فيحال للتقاعد ويجوز مد خدمته ستين قابلة للتجديد عدة مرات وذلك بقرار من القائد الأعلى للقوات المسل
- Article 110
The article sets the seniority of an officer returning from standby: he keeps it, except where standby was for the reasons in paragraphs (c) and (d) of Article 109 and he returns after a year, when it runs from the decision returning him.
إذا أعيد أحد الضباط إلى الخدمة وكان قد أحيل إلى الاستيداع لغير الأسباب المنصوص عليها في الفقرتين (ج،د) من المادة (109) يعود إلى رتبته التي كان يشغلها قبل إحالته
- Article 111
The article provides that an officer placed on standby remains subject to military discipline and may not engage in trade or any other work except with the Minister's written permission.
يخضع الضابط إلى الاستيداع لأحكام الضبط والربط العسكري ولا يجوز أن يشتغل بالتجارة أو أي عمل آخر إلا بإذن كتابي من الوزير.
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.