Article 21 of the Saudi Publications Law
المادة 21 من نظام المطبوعات والنشر
The article exempts from the Ministry's control printed materials that government bodies, educational and research institutions, scientific societies, literary clubs and private press institutions import for their purposes.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
لا تسري رقابة الوزارة على ما تستورده الجهات الحكومية والمؤسسات التعليمية والبحثية، والجمعيات العلمية، والأندية الأدبية والثقافية والمؤسسات الصحفية الأهلية من مطبوعات لأغراضها.
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 21 explained in plain English
This article sets out an exception to the Ministry's control over imported printed materials, so this control does not apply to what the following bodies import:
- Government bodies.
- Educational and research institutions.
- Scientific societies.
- Literary and cultural clubs.
- Private press institutions.
The important limit in the article is that the import must be for their purposes, that is, for the purposes of these bodies themselves. The exception is tied to the purpose, and under the text of the article it does not extend to what is imported for purposes other than the body's own.
Under Article 1, the Ministry is the Ministry of Media, and a printed material is any means of expression printed for circulation.
This article comes after Article 20, which requires a Saudi who issues a non-periodical printed material outside the Kingdom and asks for its approval to attach proof of depositing the required copies under the Deposit Law. After it comes Article 22, which refers to the Implementing Regulations the regulation of importing and distributing external printed materials, and the procedures for facilitating researchers' carrying of books and subscribing to them for their scientific purposes and within their personal possession.
In practice, a government university library that imports books and periodicals for its research purposes is not subject to the Ministry's control in doing so. Anyone who needs to know whether the exception applies to their body can consult a lawyer who specializes in media and publishing law.
Practical example
A research center in Dhahran imports a set of specialized scientific books for its library. As long as the import is for the center's research purposes, the Ministry of Media's control does not apply to it under this article.
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 21 of the Saudi Publications Law
Are books imported by universities subject to the Ministry of Media's control?
The Ministry's control does not apply to printed materials that educational and research institutions import for their purposes.
Which bodies are exempt from control over imported printed materials?
Government bodies, educational and research institutions, scientific societies, literary and cultural clubs, and private press institutions, for what they import for their purposes.
More articles on Foreign Printed Materials and Imports
- Article 18
The article provides that external printed materials are approved if they are free of anything that offends Islam or the system of government, harms the supreme interest of the state, or offends public decency.
تجاز المطبوعات الخارجية، إذا خلت من كل ما يسيء إلى الإسلام، أو نظام الحكم، أو يضر بالمصلحة العليا للدولة، أو يخدش الآداب العامة وينافي الأخلاق.
- Article 19
The article requires external printed materials to be approved or rejected, with reasons, within 30 days of receiving the request, and refers the treatment of newspapers to the Regulations.
تجاز المطبوعات الخارجية، أو ترفض مع بيان الأسباب خلال ثلاثين يومًا من تاريخ تسلم الطلب، أما الصحف فتعامل وفقًا لما تحدده اللائحة التنفيذية.
- Article 20
The article requires every Saudi who issues a non-periodical printed material outside the Kingdom and asks for its approval to attach proof of depositing the required copies under the Deposit Law.
على كل سعودي يصدر مطبوعة غير دورية خارج المملكة، ويتقدم للوزارة بطلب إجازتها أن يرفق بطلبه ما يثبت إيداع النسخ المطلوبة، وفق نظام الإيداع.
- Article 22
The article refers to the Implementing Regulations the regulation of importing and distributing external printed materials, and the procedures for facilitating researchers' carrying of books and subscribing to them for their scientific purposes.
تحدد اللائحة التنفيذية- في حدود أحكام هذا النظام- تنظيم استيراد المطبوعات الخارجية وتوزيعها. كما تحدد الإجراءات اللازمة لتسهيل اصطحاب الكتب والمطبوعات الأخرى، و
- Article 23
The article allows foreign newspapers to be printed in the Kingdom after the Prime Minister's approval, as set by the Implementing Regulations and consistent with the Law.
يجوز بعد موافقة رئيس مجلس الوزراء أن تطبع صحف أجنبية في المملكة وفقًا لما تحدده اللائحة التنفيذية، وبما يتفق مع أحكام هذا النظام.
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.