Article 11 of the Saudi Protection from Abuse Law

المادة 11 من نظام الحماية من الإيذاء

The article requires the Ministry, if it considers that an incident of abuse constitutes a crime, to notify the competent arresting authority so that it takes the necessary legal measures.

Official text (Arabic)

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

إذا رأت الوزارة أن واقعة الإيذاء تشكل جريمة ، فعليها إبلاغ جهة الضبط المختصة نظاماً ؛ لاتخاذ الإجراءات النظامية اللازمة.

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 11 explained in plain English

This article links the social side handled by the Ministry with the criminal side. Not every case of abuse is dealt with by guidance and social measures alone. If the Ministry considers that the incident of abuse constitutes a crime, it must:

Notify the arresting authority competent under the law.
So that this authority takes the necessary legal measures.

Note that the assessment of whether the incident is a crime rests here with the Ministry ("if the Ministry considers"), and that notification is then a duty for it, not a choice. The article does not specify what the arresting authority does next, but refers to the necessary legal measures.

This article serves one of the Law's objectives in Article 2, which is taking the necessary legal measures to hold the person who caused the abuse accountable and punish him. It follows Article 10, which gives priority to guidance and preventive measures "unless the situation requires otherwise"; if the incident is a crime, referral is required. Article 12 then completes this provision by having the Ministry follow the cases it has referred, and the arresting authority inform it of the measures it has reached in each case.

A person who is a party to an abuse case referred to the arresting authority, whether victim or accused, would do well to consult a lawyer specializing in criminal cases.

Practical example

The Ministry deals with a report about a man in Riyadh who beat his son and caused fractures. The Ministry considers that the incident constitutes a crime, so it must notify the competent arresting authority to take the necessary legal measures, in addition to what it does to protect the child.

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 content

A question about Article 11 of Protection from Abuse Law?

Describe what happened and specialist lawyers answer. You can write in English.