Article 24 of the Saudi Prisons and Detention Law
المادة 24 من نظام السجن والتوقيف
A prisoner or detainee is released before noon on the day after his sentence or period of detention ends, unless a general pardon provides otherwise, in which case he is released at the time set by the pardon decision.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يفرج عن المسجون أو الموقوف قبل ظهر اليوم التالي لانقضاء العقوبة أو مدة الإيقاف، وذلك ما لم يصدر عفو عام عن الجريمة أو العقوبة أو جزء منها فيتم الإفراج عن المسجون أو الموقوف في الوقت المحدد بقرار العفو.
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 24 explained in plain English
This article sets the time of release of a prisoner or detainee:
The general rule:
A prisoner or detainee is released before noon on the day after his sentence or period of detention ends. That is, there is a set time that should not be exceeded.
The exception: a general pardon
If a general pardon is issued for:
- the crime, or
- the punishment, or
- part of it,
then the prisoner or detainee is released at the time set by the pardon decision, not under the general rule.
This article complements those before and after it:
- Article (23) regulates what must be done when a prisoner or detainee dies, including a detailed medical report and notifying his family to receive his body.
- Article (25) allows the Minister of Interior to grant conditional release to a person sentenced to imprisonment if he has served three quarters of the sentence, the period he has served is not less than nine months, and the remaining conditions are met.
Anyone who believes that the release of a relative was delayed beyond this time can consult a lawyer who specializes in criminal cases.
Practical example
Faisal's sentence in a prison in Al-Ahsa ended on Sunday. Under this article, he is released before noon on Monday. If a general pardon has been issued for the punishment or part of it, he is released at the time the pardon decision sets.
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 24 of the Saudi Prisons and Detention Law
When does a prisoner leave after his sentence ends?
He is released before noon on the day after his sentence or period of detention ends.
When is a prisoner covered by a general pardon released?
He is released at the time set by the pardon decision, whether the pardon is for the crime, the punishment or part of it.
More articles on Admission to Prison and Release
- Article 7
No one may be placed in prison or detention, transferred or released except by a written order from the competent authority, and no prisoner or detainee may stay after the period stated in his commitment order ends.
لا يجوز إيداع أي إنسان في سجن أو في دار للتوقيف أو نقله أو إخلاء سبيله إلا بأمر كتابي صادر من السلطة المختصة، ولا يجوز أن يبقى المسجون أو الموقوف في السجن أو دو
- Article 8
Every prisoner or detainee must be searched before entry, and his money and valuables must be placed in the safe to be handed to him upon release or to the person he designates.
يجب أن يفتش كل مسجون أو موقوف قبل دخوله السجن أو دار التوقيف وأن يؤخذ ما يوجد معه من نقود أو أشياء ذات قيمة وتودع خزانة السجن أو دار التوقيف لتسليمها إليه عند ا
- Article 9
What a prisoner or detainee hides or refuses to hand over, and what someone else tries to secretly get to him in prison, is confiscated.
يصادر ما يخفيه المسجون أو الموقوف أو يمتنع عن تسليمه، أو يحاول غيره خفية توصيله إليه في السجن.
- Article 11
A convict whose stay in prison exceeds four years must go through a transition period before release, counted as part of the sentence, to make it easier to integrate him into society.
إذا زادت مدة بقاء المحكوم عليه في السجن عن أربع سنين، وجب قبل الإفراج عنه أن يمر بفترة انتقال تهدف إلى تيسير إدماجه في المجتمع بعد الإفراج عنه وتحتسب هذه الفترة
- Article 21
An administrative procedure may not delay the release of a prisoner or detainee beyond the set time.
لا يجوز أن يؤخر الإجراء الإداري الإفراج عن المسجون أو الموقوف في الوقت المحدد.
- Article 26
The period a detainee spends in a detention facility is deducted from the sentence imposed on him.
تخصم المدة التي يقضيها الموقوف في دار التوقيف من المدة المحكوم بها عليه.
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.