Article 9 of the Saudi Reconciliation Committees Regulation
المادة 9 من اللائحة التنظيمية للجان إصلاح ذات البين في إمارات المناطق
Article 9 requires the reconciliation with the victim's heirs to be recorded and signed immediately, and requires that the reconciliation payment not be exaggerated, failing which the members continue seeking to reduce it.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
عند التوصل إلى صلح مع أولياء الدم أو أحدهم؛ فعلى اللجنة تدوين الصلح في الحال، وأخذ توقيع الموافقين على الصلح من أولياء الدم عليه ومن حضر ممن يمثل المحكوم عليه بالقصاص، ويُكمل اللازم عليه عاجلاً. وإذا كان الصلح بمقابل؛ فيجب أن يكون هذا المقابل غير مُبالغ فيه، فإن كان كذلك فعلى الأعضاء المكلفين بالسعي في الصلح تدوين ذلك، مع مواصلة السعي في تخفيض المقابل، وتزويد اللجنة بما يتم في ذلك.
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 9 explained in plain English
This article regulates what happens when reconciliation is reached with the victim's heirs or one of them:
- Immediate recording: the committee must record the reconciliation at once.
- Signature: it is signed by those of the victim's heirs who agree to the reconciliation, and by those present who represent the person sentenced to qisas.
- Urgent completion: what is needed to complete the reconciliation is done urgently.
If the reconciliation is for a payment: the payment must be not exaggerated. If it is exaggerated, the members assigned to seek reconciliation must:
- Record that.
- Continue seeking to reduce the payment.
- Provide the committee with what is done on this.
The text sets no numerical limit for what counts as exaggerated, and does not make exaggeration a ground for invalidating the reconciliation; it requires recording it and continuing to seek a reduction. The point of immediate recording and signing is to preserve and document the reconciliation. Payment of the sum is regulated by Article 10. Anyone who needs to assess his position in a particular reconciliation may consult a lawyer specializing in criminal cases.
Practical example
A committee member obtains the agreement of two of the victim's heirs to forgive in return for a sum of money. He records the reconciliation at once, and it is signed by those who agreed and by the convicted person's representative. Because the sum was exaggerated, the member records that and continues working with the victim's heirs to reduce it, and informs the committee of what has been done.
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 9 of the Saudi Reconciliation Committees Regulation
Must the reconciliation with the victim's heirs be documented immediately?
Yes. The committee must record the reconciliation at once and obtain the signatures of those of the victim's heirs who agree and of those present who represent the convicted person.
What does the committee do if the reconciliation sum is exaggerated?
The assigned members record that, continue seeking to reduce the payment, and provide the committee with what is done.
Does the Regulation set a cap on the reconciliation sum?
The text gives no specific figure, but requires that the payment not be exaggerated.
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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.