Article 31 of the Saudi Prisons and Detention Law
المادة 31 من نظام السجن والتوقيف
The Prisons and Detention Law takes effect from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
ينفذ هذا النظام من تاريخ نشره في الجريدة الرسمية.
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 31 explained in plain English
This article sets the effective date of the Prisons and Detention Law, that is, the moment from which its provisions begin to apply.
According to the text, the Law takes effect from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette. This means:
- The provisions of the Law are not applied before it is published in the Official Gazette.
- What counts for the start of application is the date of publication, not the date the Law was issued, if the two differ.
The article does not state the publication date itself, and does not address the status of amendments made to some articles of the Law later; each amendment is tied to the decree by which it was issued.
This article comes after Article (30), which provides that the Minister of Interior issues the Implementing Regulations of this Law. With that, the Law's closing provisions are complete: the authority that issues the regulations, and when the Law starts to apply.
It is useful for the reader to remember that the text shown in the law library is the text currently in force after the amendments made to it, and that learning which text was in force on the date of an old event may require referring to the record of amendments or consulting a lawyer who specializes in criminal cases.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
How we write and review contentCriminal Law lawyers: ask a specialist about your case
Describe your situation briefly and we'll suggest a lawyer who specialises in this law
Criminal Law lawyers
Lawyers who handle this kind of case
Ibrahim Al Salem Law Firm
Active contributor
Dr. Ali Al-Rubaie Law Office and Ittihad Al-Asr Legal Company
Frequently asked questions about Article 31 of the Saudi Prisons and Detention Law
When does the Prisons and Detention Law start to apply?
From the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.
Is the Law applied before it is published?
The text ties the Law's taking effect to the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.
More articles on Prisons and Detention Houses and Their Oversight
- Article 1
The article provides that prison sentences are carried out in prisons, and anyone subject to a detention order from the competent authorities is placed in detention centers, under this Law and its Regulations, without prejudice to the rules on treating juveniles.
تنفذ عقوبات السجن في السجون، ويودع من يصدر بشأنه أمر توقيف من السلطات المختصة دور التوقيف وذلك وفقا لأحكام هذا النظام ولائحته التنفيذية. ومع عدم الإخلال بالقواع
- Article 2
The Minister of Interior establishes by decisions separate prisons and detention centers for men and women according to the needs of the Kingdom's regions, and the Regulations set the rules for their administration, guarding and safety.
تنشأ بقرارات من وزير الداخلية سجون للرجال وأخرى للنساء ودور توقيف للرجال وأخرى للنساء على أن يراعى في إنشائها الاستجابة لحاجات وحدات التقسيم الإداري للمملكة وتح
- Article 3
A General Directorate of Prisons affiliated with the Ministry of Interior supervises carrying out sentences and detention orders in the Kingdom's regions through its own bodies, as the Regulations determine.
يشرف على تنفيذ العقوبات وأوامر التوقيف مديرية عامة للسجون تتبع وزارة الداخلية وتمارس اختصاصاتها في المناطق المختلفة بالمملكة بواسطة أجهزة تابعة لها، وذلك طبقا ل
- Article 5
Prisons and detention facilities are subject to judicial, administrative, health and social inspection, in accordance with the Implementing Regulations.
تخضع السجون ودور التوقيف للتفتيش القضائي والإداري والصحي والاجتماعي وذلك وفقا لأحكام اللائحة التنفيذية .
- Article 6
The Minister of Interior establishes by decision a Supreme Council of Prisons to study the development of prisons and detention facilities and propose ways to combat delinquency and repeat offending, choosing its members from different specializations.
ينشئ وزير الداخلية بقرار يصدره مجلسا أعلى للسجون تكون مهمته إجراء الدراسات الخاصة بتطوير دور السجن والتوقيف على نحو يحقق الهدف منها، ويجعلها أكثر فعالية في تقوي
- Article 30
The Minister of Interior issues the Implementing Regulations of the Prisons and Detention Law.
يصدر وزير الداخلية اللوائح التنفيذية لهذا 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.