Article 136 of the Saudi Officers Service Law
المادة 136 من نظام خدمة الضباط · الفصل الأول: لجنة الضباط العليا
The article makes the deliberations and recommendations of officers' committees confidential and bars announcing or publishing any recommendation until it has been ratified.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تعتبر مداولات وتوصيات لجان الضباط سرية ولا يجوز بأي حال من الأحوال إعلان أو نشر أي توصية إلا بعد التصديق عليها.
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 136 explained in plain English
This article establishes the rule of confidentiality in the work of officers' committees, and it has two parts:
- Confidentiality of deliberations and recommendations: the deliberations and recommendations of officers' committees are treated as confidential.
- No announcement before ratification: in no circumstances may any recommendation be announced or published until it has been ratified.
Note that the text uses the phrase "officers' committees" in general terms, so it covers the Senior Committee and the subcommittees. The phrase "in no circumstances" indicates that the prohibition has no exception before ratification.
This article is connected to Article 135, which requires officers' committees to base their recommendations on the reports and information deposited in the officer's file; these deliberations deal with information concerning the officers themselves.
It is also connected to Article 137, which prohibits dispensing with an officer's services as a disciplinary measure, placing him on reserve status for the same reason, or passing him over for promotion when his turn comes, except in accordance with the provisions of the Law.
In practical terms, this means an officer should not rely on what is circulated informally about a recommendation that has not been ratified.
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 136 of the Saudi Officers Service Law
Are officers' committee deliberations confidential?
Yes. The deliberations and recommendations of officers' committees are treated as confidential.
When may an officers' committee recommendation be published?
No recommendation may be announced or published until it has been ratified.
More articles on Supreme and Branch Officers Committees
- Article 14
The article requires the officer to be informed of the content of an unsatisfactory report and to sign that he has seen it, gives him the right to object to the Officers Committee through his superior within two weeks, and makes the Committee's recommendations final once ratified.
يبلغ الضابط من قبل قائده الذي كتب عنه تقريراً غير مرض بمضمون ذلك التقرير ويوقع بالاطلاع وله الحق في تقديم اعتراضه على كل أو بعض ما ورد بالتقرير إلى لجنة الضباط
- Article 39
The Article provides that officers of all ranks are transferred outside their arm or specialty on the recommendation of the Higher Officers Committee.
يجري نقل الضباط على اختلاف رتبهم خارج السلاح أوالاختصاص بتوصية من لجنة الضباط العليا.
- Article 40Amended (1409 AH)
The Article provides that transfer and confirmation of officers within each force is on the recommendation of the Higher Officers Committee for the rank of lieutenant colonel and above, and by decision of the force commander for major and below.
يجري نقل واثبات الضباط داخل كل قوة بالقوات المسلحة على الوجه الآتي: 1- من رتبة مقدم فما فوق بتوصية من لجنة الضباط العليا. 2- من رتبة رائد فما دون بقرار من قائد
- Article 51
The Article provides that, absent another provision, transfer, appointment, confirmation, attachment and loan under Chapters One and Two of Part Five are by decision of the Minister on the recommendation of the Higher Officers Committee.
فيما لم يرد به نص آخر فإن النقل والتعيين والإثبات والإلحاق والإعارة المنصوص عليها بالفصل الأول والثاني من الباب الخامس من هذا النظَام يتم بقرار من الوزير بناءً
- Article 125
The article lists the matters the Senior Officers Committee considers and makes recommendations on, including appointment, discharge, promotion from major to brigadier general, transfer, secondment and retirement.
تنظر لجنة الضباط العليا وتوصي بالمسائل الآتية : أ- بدء تعيين الضباط بالقوات المسلحة. ب- الاستغناء عن الخدمة والإعادة إليها. ج- منح الأوسمة. د- اختيار أعضاء البع
- Article 126
The article requires the Senior Officers Committee to meet when called by its chairman at least once every fifteen days, with meetings valid when more than half its members attend, including the chairman.
تجتمع اللجنة العليا بدعوة من رئيسها ، ويجب أن تنعقد مرة واحدة كل خمسة عشر يوماً على الأقل وتكون اجتماعاتها نظَامية عند حضور أكثر من نصف أعضائها من بينهم الرئيس.
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.