Article 29 of the Saudi Publications Law
المادة 29 من نظام المطبوعات والنشر
The article allows the Ministry to withdraw a newspaper's license or cancel approval of its issue if it is not issued within two years of notification of the license, or if it stops for more than a continuous year.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
للوزارة سحب الترخيص أو إلغاء الموافقة على إصدار الصحيفة في إحدى الحالتين الآتيتين:
1 - إذا لم يتم الإصدار خلال مدة أقصاها سنتان من الإبلاغ بالترخيص.
2 - إذا توقف الإصدار مدة متصلة تزيد على سنة.
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 29 explained in plain English
This article sets out two cases in which the Ministry (the Ministry of Media under Article 1) may withdraw the license or cancel the approval of a newspaper's issue:
- Not issuing: if the newspaper is not issued within a maximum of two years of notification of the license.
- Stopping: if publication stops for a continuous period of more than a year.
Important notes on the text:
- The article says "the Ministry may", so withdrawal is a discretionary power of the Ministry, not an automatic result.
- The two-year period is counted from notification of the license, not from the date of the application.
- In the case of stopping, the period must be continuous and more than a year; under the text, intermittent stoppages do not fall within this description.
The apparent purpose is that newspaper licenses should not remain idle and unused.
This article comes after Article 28, which refers to the Implementing Regulations the rules on the annual subscription, the price of a single copy and advertising matters. After it comes Article 30, which prohibits newspapers and their staff from accepting any benefit, such as gifts or subsidies, from internal or external bodies except after the Ministry's approval. Anyone facing withdrawal of their newspaper's license can consult a lawyer who specializes in media and publishing law.
Practical example
Ahmed obtained a license to issue a monthly magazine in Riyadh and was notified of it, but did not issue any issue within two years. In this case the Ministry may withdraw the license or cancel approval of the issue.
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 29 of the Saudi Publications Law
When is a newspaper's license withdrawn?
The Ministry may withdraw it if the newspaper is not issued within two years of notification of the license, or if publication stops for a continuous period of more than a year.
Does a newspaper stopping for six months lead to withdrawal of the license?
The case mentioned in the article is stopping for a continuous period of more than a year.
Is withdrawal automatic?
No. The article makes it a power of the Ministry.
More articles on Issuing Newspapers
- 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.
- Article 24
The article provides that local newspapers are not subject to control except in exceptional circumstances approved by the Prime Minister.
لا تخضع الصحف المحلية للرقابة، إلا في الظروف الاستثنائية التي يقرها رئيس مجلس الوزراء.
- Article 25
The article regulates issuing newspapers by private bodies and individuals under a license after the Prime Minister's approval, accepts the Ministry's approval alone for some bulletins and magazines, and sets who is responsible for what is published.
1 - يجوز- خارج نطاق المؤسسات الصحفية الأهلية- إصدار الصحف من قبل الجهات الأهلية أو الأفراد بترخيص من الوزارة بعد موافقة رئيس مجلس الوزراء . 2 - يكتفى بموافقة ال
- Article 26
The article requires the license holder's name, the editor-in-chief's name, the issue number, place and date of issue, the price and the printing press's name to be placed in a prominent place in the newspaper.
يوضع في مكان بارز من الصحيفة اسم صاحب الترخيص واسم رئيس التحرير، ورقم العدد، ومكان الصدو،ر وتاريخه، والسعر، واسم المطبعة.
- Article 27
The article prevents using the name of a newspaper that has ceased publication until ten years after it stopped, unless the interested parties waive, and prevents adopting a name confusing with another newspaper's name.
1- لا يجوز استعمال اسم صحيفة سبق صدورها ثم احتجبت، إلا بعد انقضاء عشرة أعوام على احتجابها، ما لم يتنازل أصحاب الشأن عن الاسم قبل انقضاء هذه المدة. 2- لا يجوز ات
- Article 28
The article refers to the Implementing Regulations the rules on the annual subscription fee for newspapers, the price of a single copy and advertising matters.
تحدد اللائحة التنفيذية القواعد المنظمة لبدل الاشتراك السنوي في الصحف وقيمة النسخة الواحدة، وشؤون الإعلانات.
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.