Article 12 of the Saudi Organ Donation Law
المادة 12 من نظام التبرع بالأعضاء البشرية
The article bars the donor, his heirs and relatives from requesting or receiving any payment for donation, and the recipient and others from offering it, covering intermediaries, without prejudice to Article 20.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- دون إخلال بما نصت عليه المادة (العشرون) من النظام، يحظر على المتبرع أو ورثته أو أقربائه طلب أي مقابل مادي أو عيني بأي شكل من الأشكال أو تلقي المقابل من المتبرع له أو من أقربائه أو من المنشآت الصحية أو من غيرهم؛ جراء موافقته أو موافقة ورثته أو أقربائه بعد وفاته على التبرع.
2- يحظر على المتبرع له أو أقربائه أو من غيرهم تقديم أي مقابل مادي أو عيني بأي شكل من الأشكال للمتبرع أو ورثته أو أقربائه؛ جراء موافقة المتبرع أو موافقة ورثته أو أقربائه بعد وفاته على التبرع.
3- يشمل الحظر الوارد في الفقرتين (1) و(2) من هذه المادة كل من يتوسط في شأن طلب المقابل المادي أو العيني أو تلقيه أو تقديمه.
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 12 explained in plain English
This article confirms that organ donation is free of charge and may not be the subject of a sale or payment. It spreads the prohibition over three parties:
- The donor's side: the donor, his heirs or his relatives are prohibited from requesting any material or in-kind payment in any form, or receiving it from the recipient or his relatives, from health facilities or from anyone else, in return for agreeing to the donation, whether during life or after death.
- The recipient's side: the recipient, his relatives or others are prohibited from offering any payment to the donor, his heirs or his relatives.
- Intermediaries: the prohibition covers anyone who intermediates in requesting, receiving or offering payment.
The phrase "in any form" means that the prohibition is not limited to cash but covers any in-kind benefit.
But the article begins with the phrase "without prejudice to what Article 20 provides", which allows the Saudi Health Council to prepare a guide for granting donors or the heirs of the deceased incentives or rewards after the donation is carried out, issued by decision of the Council of Ministers. What is granted under this official guide does not fall within the prohibition.
Because violating this article is a serious offense, anyone facing an accusation connected with it should consult a lawyer who specializes in criminal cases.
Practical example
A man in Riyadh offered a young man a sum of money to donate his kidney to the man's sick father, and a third person arranged the agreement. The prohibition applies to all three: the young man for receiving payment, the man for offering it, and the intermediary for intermediating.
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 12 of the Saudi Organ Donation Law
Can a kidney be sold in Saudi Arabia?
No. The law prohibits requesting, receiving or offering any material or in-kind payment in any form in return for organ donation.
Is an intermediary in an organ sale punished?
The prohibition covers anyone who intermediates in requesting, receiving or offering payment.
Does a donor receive any reward?
The prohibition is without prejudice to Article 20, which allows incentive benefits or rewards to be granted to donors after the donation under a guide issued by decision of the Council of Ministers.
Articles this article refers to
More articles on Ban on Selling Organs and Payment
- Article 13
The article prohibits health facilities from using an organ for other than its purpose, failing to report deaths to the Center, transplanting an organ removed under a court judgment, and taking or paying any payment for donation.
يُحظر على المنشآت الصحية القيام بأيٍّ مما يأتي: 1- التصرف بأيٍّ من الأعضاء البشرية التي تستأصل لغير الغرض الذي تم التبرع به لأجله. ويستثنى من ذلك حالة تعذر زراع
- Article 20
The Saudi Health Council prepares a guide to the controls for giving donors or the heirs of the deceased benefits, incentive rewards, employment priority or study grants after donation, issued by decision of the Council of Ministers.
يُعد المجلس دليلاً خاصاً بالضوابط والاشتراطات، لمنح مميزات مادية أو عينية أو معنوية أو صرف مكافآت تشجيعية، أو منح الأولوية في مجال العمل والتوظيف أو تقديم منح د
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.