Article 39 of the Saudi Publications Law
المادة 39 من نظام المطبوعات والنشر
The article allows the Ministry to withdraw prohibited or unapproved circulating printed materials that contain prohibitions, and makes the primary committee decide to destroy them without compensation or return them abroad.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
للوزارة سحب المطبوعات المعروضة للتداول داخلية كانت أو خارجية، في الحالتين الآتيتين :
1 - عندما تكون محظورة التداول.
2 - عندما تكون غير مجازة، وتكون مشتملة على بعض المحظورات المنصوص عليها في المادة التاسعة أو المادة الثامنة عشرة.
وتكون الجهة المخولة بالنظر في ذلك اللجنة المنصوص عليها في المادة السابعة والثلاثين، وهي التي تقرر ما تراه مناسبًا، بإتلافها دون تعويض أو تكليف صاحب العلاقة بإعادتها إلى خارج المملكة على نفقته إن كانت خارجية.
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 39 explained in plain English
This article gives the Ministry the power to withdraw printed materials offered for circulation, whether internal or external, in two cases:
- When they are prohibited from circulation.
- When they are unapproved and contain some of the prohibitions set out in Article 9 or Article 18. The second case requires both things together.
The prohibitions in Article 9 include what violates Sharia or the laws, what disrupts the security or public order of the country, harming reputation and personal insults, stirring up discord, encouraging crime, what harms the public interest, and publishing the facts of investigations or trials without permission. Article 18 allows external printed materials 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 and conflicts with morals.
Who decides the outcome: the body empowered to consider it is the committee provided for in Article 37, the primary committee chaired by a person with experience in judicial work, with a legal adviser and a media specialist as members. The committee decides what it sees as appropriate:
- Destroying the printed materials without compensation.
- Or requiring the interested party to return them outside the Kingdom at his expense, if they are external.
Anyone whose printed materials were withdrawn can consult a lawyer who specializes in media and publishing law.
Practical example
A shop in Dammam displays imported books that were not approved and contain material offensive to public decency. The Ministry may withdraw them, and the primary committee considers the matter and decides to destroy them without compensation, or to require the interested party to return them outside the Kingdom at his expense.
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 39 of the Saudi Publications Law
When does the Ministry of Media withdraw books displayed for sale?
If they are prohibited from circulation, or are unapproved and contain some of the prohibitions set out in Article 9 or Article 18.
What happens to withdrawn books?
The committee provided for in Article 37 decides what it sees as appropriate, by destroying them without compensation or requiring the interested party to return them abroad at his expense if they are external.
Articles this article refers to
- Article 9Amended (1433 AH)
The article requires those responsible for a printed material to give objective, constructive criticism based on correct facts, and prohibits publishing seven kinds of content by any means.
يلتزم كل مسؤول في المطبوعة بالنقد الموضوعي والبناء الهادف إلى المصلحة العامة، والمستند إلى وقائع وشواهد صحيحة. ويحظر أن يُنشر بأي وسيلة كانت أي مما يأتي : 1 - م
- 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 37Amended (1433 AH)
The article establishes one or more primary committees to consider violations of the Law and apply penalties, on a complaint from a person with standing and a direct interest or on referral by the Minister.
1 - تشكل لجنة ابتدائية - أو أكثر - برئاسة من تتوافر فيه خبرة في الأعمال القضائية، وعضوية مستشار نظامي وأحد المختصين في الإعلام، للنظر في مخالفات أحكام هذا النظا
More articles on Withdrawing Printed Materials
- Article 36Amended (1433 AH)
The article allows the Ministry, when necessary, to withdraw any printed material without compensation if it contains any of the matters prohibited from publication under Article 9.
للوزارة - عند الاقتضاء - سحب أي مطبوعة دون تعويض، إذا تضمنت أيًا من الأمور المحظور نشرها، المنصوص عليها في المادة (التاسعة) من هذا النظام
- Article 41
The article requires the Ministry, if it approved a printed material and something later arises that requires withdrawing it, to compensate the interested party for the cost value of the withdrawn copies.
إذا أجازت الوزارة المطبوعة ثم طرأ ما يوجب سحبها، فعليها تعويض صاحب الشأن عن قيمة تكلفة النسخ المسحوبة.
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.