Article 13 of the Saudi Public Utilities Protection Law

This article sets out who imposes the penalties under the Law, and how the violator may object to them.

Paragraph (a): the penalty of imprisonment

The Board of Grievances is competent to impose the penalty of imprisonment provided for in the Law.

Paragraph (b): fines and compensation

• Compensation is assessed, and the amount of the fine for each violation is determined within its limit stated in the Law, under rules issued by the competent Minister.
• The decision on compensation or the fine is issued by the competent Minister or his delegate.
• The violator may challenge the decision before the Board of Grievances within 60 days of the date he is notified of it.

In practical terms, the fine and compensation are imposed by an administrative decision, and anyone who wishes to object must observe the deadline; it starts from the date he is notified of the decision, not from the date it was issued. The article does not specify the details of the rules the Minister issues; they are left to him.

This article is linked to Article 12, which refers the procedures for detecting, proving and investigating violations to a ministerial committee approved by the Minister of Interior, and to Article 14, which authorizes the ministers concerned to issue the decisions needed for implementation. The current text of paragraph (b) was issued under Royal Decree No. (M/54) dated 5/6/1428 AH. Anyone who wishes to file a challenge would be well advised to consult a lawyer specializing in administrative cases (Board of Grievances).