Article 24 of the Saudi Public Prosecution Law
المادة 24 من نظام النيابة العامة
The article requires the judgment in a disciplinary action to contain the reasons on which it is based, and its reasons to be read out when it is pronounced in a confidential session.
Official text after amendments (Arabic)
Compiled from the original text and every officially published amendment; the amendments are shown in full below for comparison.
يجب أن يشتمل الحكم في الدعوى التأديبية على الأسباب التي بُني عليها، وأن تتلى أسبابه عند النطق به في جلسة سرية.
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 deals with the form of the disciplinary judgment and how it is pronounced, and contains two duties:
- Stating reasons: the judgment in the disciplinary action must contain the reasons on which it is based. It is not enough for the judgment to state the result; it must show what it relied on.
- Reading the reasons: the reasons of the judgment are read out when it is pronounced, and this is done in a confidential session.
Stating reasons is a guarantee for the convicted member, since he learns from it why the judgment was issued, and it also allows anyone who later considers the judgment to understand its basis. Confidentiality is consistent with what Article 23 provides, that the Disciplinary Council's sessions are confidential.
This article completes the guarantees of the disciplinary trial in Article 23, including hearing the member's defense, his right to submit his defense in writing or delegate one of the Authority's members, and the possibility of judgment in his absence if he does not attend and delegates no one after verifying that he was properly summoned. It is followed by Article 25, which limits the disciplinary penalties to reprimand and termination of service.
Amendments: the current text is the wording in Royal Decree No. (M/31) dated 13/4/1436 AH.
A member of the Public Prosecution against whom a disciplinary judgment has been issued should consult a lawyer who specializes in administrative cases.
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 Public Prosecution Law
Must the disciplinary judgment of a Prosecution member state its reasons?
Yes. The judgment must contain the reasons on which it is based.
Is the disciplinary judgment pronounced in a public session?
No. Its reasons are read out when it is pronounced in a confidential session.
Amendment history
Royal Decree No. M/31 — 13/4/1436 AH
Official amendment text (Arabic)
تم تعديل هذه المادة بموجب المرسوم الملكي رقم ( م/31) وتاريخ 13 / 4 / 1436 هـ ، لتكون بالصيغة الآتية :
"المادة الرابعة والعشرون:
يجب أن يشتمل الحكم في الدعوى التأديبية على الأسباب التي بُني عليها، وأن تتلى أسبابه عند النطق به في جلسة سرية."
Original text before the amendments (Arabic)
يجب أن يشتمل الحكم في الدعوى التأديبية على الأسباب التي بني عليها، وأن تتلى أسبابه عند النطق به في جلسة سرية، وتكون أحكام مجلس التأديب نهائية غير قابلة للطعن.
More articles on Disciplining Prosecution Members
- Article 14
The article provides that members of the Public Prosecution may not be tried except under the conditions and rules for their discipline.
لا تجوز محاكمة أعضاء الهيئة، إلا وفق الشروط والقواعد الخاصة بتأديبهم.
- Article 15Amended (1436 AH)
The article makes discipline of Public Prosecution members the responsibility of a three-member Disciplinary Council within the Authority's Council named by its head, deciding by majority; its decisions are final only with the Council's approval.
يكون تأديب أعضاء الهيئة من اختصاص دائرة (مجلس التأديب) تشكل في مجلس الهيئة من ثلاثة أعضاء يصدر بتسميتهم قرار من رئيس الهيئة، وتصدر قراراتها بالأغلبية، ولا تكون
- Article 17Amended (1441 AH)
The article provides that the head of the Inspection Department or his delegate brings the disciplinary action at the Attorney General's request, after an investigation by a member the Council appoints who is senior in rank or seniority to the member investigated.
يرفع رئيس دائرة التفتيش – أو من ينبيه – الدعوى التأديبية بناء على طلب من النائب العام، ولا تقام هذه الدعوى إلا بناء على تحقيق يتولاه أحد أعضاء النيابة العامة ال
- Article 18
The article requires the disciplinary action to be brought by a memorandum containing the charge and its evidence, submitted to the Disciplinary Council to issue its decision after inviting the accused to appear before it.
ترفع الدعوى التأديبية بمذكرة تشتمل على التهمة الموجهة والأدلة المؤيدة لها، وتقدم إلى مجلس التأديب ليصدر قراره، بدعوة المتهم بالحضور أمام المجلس.
- Article 20
The article allows the Disciplinary Council to carry out necessary investigations or appoint one of its members to do so, and requires the accused to be summoned in sufficient time with an adequate statement of the case and the evidence.
يجوز لمجلس التأديب أن يجري ما يراه لازما من التحقيقات، وله أن يندب أحد أعضائه للقيام بذلك، فإذا رأى مجلس التأديب وجها للسير في إجراءات المحاكمة عن جميع التهم ال
- Article 21
The article allows the Disciplinary Council, when it decides to proceed to trial, to order the accused suspended from performing his post's work, and to reconsider the suspension at any time.
يجوز لمجلس التأديب عند تقرير السير في إجراءات المحاكمة أن يأمر بوقف المتهم عن مباشرة أعمال وظيفته، وللمجلس في كل وقت أن يعيد النظر في أمر الوقف.
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.