Article 5 of the Saudi Anti-Corruption Authority Law
المادة 5 من نظام هيئة الرقابة ومكافحة الفساد · الباب الثاني: جهاز الهيئة ومهماته واختصاصاته
The article allows the Authority to request records, documents and information relating to its powers from the bodies it covers, requires the bodies to provide them within the set periods, and binds the Authority to confidentiality rules.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- للهيئة أن تطلب من الجهات المشمولة باختصاصاتها تزويدها بالسجلات والوثائق والمستندات والمعلومات والبيانات ذات الصلة باختصاصاتها، وعلى تلك الجهات توفير ما يطلب منها خلال المدد المحددة لذلك.
2- تلتزم الهيئة عند طلبها للسجلات والوثائق والمستندات والمعلومات والبيانات -وفقاً للفقرة (1) من هذه المادة- بالأحكام النظامية المتعلقة بسرية المعلومات وعدم إفشائها.
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 5 explained in plain English
This article gives the Authority a basic tool for doing its work, which is obtaining information. It has two paragraphs:
Paragraph 1: The right to request and the duty to provide
- The Authority may request from the bodies covered by its powers that they provide it with the records, documents, papers, information and data relating to its powers.
- Those bodies must provide what is requested of them within the periods set for that. The article does not specify these periods.
Paragraph 2: The Authority's duty of confidentiality
- In requesting these records and information, the Authority is bound by the legal provisions relating to the confidentiality of information and not disclosing it.
The article therefore balances two things: enabling the Authority to access what it needs to uncover violations and corruption crimes, and protecting the confidentiality of the information it sees. Note that the request is restricted to being related to the Authority's powers, and directed to the bodies covered by them.
The article connects to Article 4, which lists the Authority's powers, including oversight to uncover administrative violations and corruption crimes and conducting investigation into them, and to Article 6, which provides that the Authority applies to corruption crimes the provisions of the Law of Criminal Procedure and its Implementing Regulations and the Public Prosecution Law, taking into account the provisions of this Law.
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 5 of the Saudi Anti-Corruption Authority Law
Can Nazaha request documents from government bodies?
Yes. The Authority may request from the bodies covered by its powers the records, documents, papers and information relating to its powers.
Must a body respond to the Authority's request?
Yes. Those bodies must provide what is requested of them within the periods set for that.
Is the Authority bound by the confidentiality of information?
Yes. It is bound by the legal provisions relating to the confidentiality of information and not disclosing it.
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1- ترتبط الهيئة بالملك، وتتمتع بالشخصية الاعتبارية والاستقلال المالي والإداري. 2- يكون مقر الهيئة الرئيس في مدينة الرياض، ولها أن تنشئ فروعاً أو مكاتب داخل المم
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تُعنى الهيئة بالرقابة الإدارية على الجهات العامة، وحماية النزاهة وتعزيز الشفافية، ومكافحة الفساد؛ ولها في سبيل ذلك الاختصاصات الآتية: 1- إجراء الرقابة اللازمة ل
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.