Article 47 of the Saudi Publications Law

المادة 47 من نظام المطبوعات والنشر

The article requires everyone carrying on an activity governed by the Law to regularize their situation in accordance with its provisions within two years of its coming into force.

Official text (Arabic)

This article has not been amended since the law was issued.

على من يمارس أي نشاط من النشاطات التي يحكمها هذا النظام أن يقوم بتصحيح أوضاعه طبقًا للأحكام الواردة فيه، وذلك خلال سنتين من تاريخ نفاذه.

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 47 explained in plain English

This is a transitional article dealing with the position of those who were carrying on activities subject to the Law, and it requires them to regularize their situation:

Who is bound: everyone carrying on any of the activities governed by the Law.
What is required: to regularize their situation in accordance with the provisions set out in the Law.
The period: two years from the date of its coming into force.

The period runs from the date of coming into force, not from the date the Law was issued or published. The article does not state what follows if situations are not regularized within the period, and does not mention any possibility of extending it.

This article comes after Article 46, which requires the Minister to issue the Implementing Regulations within a maximum of eighteen months of the Law's publication, and to publish them in the official gazette. After it comes Article 48, which provides that the Law replaces the Law of Printed Materials and Publication issued by Royal Decree No. M/17 dated 13/4/1402 AH, and repeals any provisions that conflict with it.

In practice, anyone who was running a printing press, library, publishing house or any other activity governed by the Law must review its provisions and complete what is missing to comply with them within the two years. Anyone who needs to assess the position of their activity can consult a lawyer who specializes in media and publishing law.

Practical example

A library owner in Abha was carrying on his activity before the Law came into force. He must regularize the position of his library in accordance with the provisions of the Law within two years of its coming into force.

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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