Article 2 of the Saudi Rules on Suspending Services
المادة 2 من ضوابط إيقاف الخدمات
Item Second sets the general controls on suspending services: a legal basis or competent order, through the electronic platform, after prior notification, with no suspension to summon someone and no spread of harm.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- يكون إيقاف الخدمات بناءً على سند نظامي، أو قرار من مجلس الوزراء، أو أمر سامٍ، أو أمر قضائي، أو أمر من النيابة العامة.
2- يكون إيقاف الخدمات من خلال المنصة الإلكترونية.
3- لا يجوز اللجوء إلى إيقاف الخدمات من أجل التبليغ بالحضور لدى الجهات الحكومية.
4- لا توقف الخدمات في أي مرحلة من المراحل المشار إليها في البندين (ثالثًا) و(رابعًا) من هذه الضوابط إلَّا بعد أن تبلّغ اللجنة المعنيّ قبل مدة كافية تحددها، وذلك بوسيلة أو أكثر من الوسائل الآتية: الرسائل النصية، البريد الإلكتروني، الاتصال الهاتفي، منصة أبشر (أفراد - أعمال)، الحسابات الحكومية، العنوان الوطني.
5- تقوم كل جهة حكومية بتصنيف الخدمات التي تقدمها الممكن إيقافها بالنسبة إلى الأفراد وقطاع الأعمال كل على حدة إلى (ثلاث) فئات بحسب الآثار المترتبة على الإيقاف، ويُعتمد التصنيف من قبل اللجنة.
6- تراعي الجهة الحكومية عند تصنيف الخدمات التي تقدمها والتي يمكن إيقافها ألَّا يترتب على الإيقاف ضرر يمتد إلى تابعي الشخص الموقوفة خدماته (أفراد - أعمال) أو غيرهم أو إلى الشركات التي يملكها أو التي يكون شريكًا أو مساهمًا فيها، أو أعضاء مجلس الإدارة أو مجلس المديرين أو الشركاء أو المدير التنفيذي أو العاملين فيها، وفي حال ترتب ضرر على أي من المذكورين أعلاه تتم معالجته فورًا بالوسائل المناسبة بما يؤدي إلى إيقاف الضرر.
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 2 explained in plain English
Item Second sets the general rules that every suspension of services must follow, which are six:
- The basis: suspension may be made only on the basis of a legal basis, a Council of Ministers decision, a royal order, a judicial order, or an order from the Public Prosecution.
- The method: suspension is carried out through the unified electronic platform, defined in item First.
- No suspension to summon: suspension of services may not be used as a means of obliging a person to appear before government bodies.
- Prior notification: services are not suspended at any stage of items Third and Fourth unless the Committee has notified the person concerned a sufficient period beforehand, which it determines, by one or more of: text messages, email, telephone call, the Absher platform (individuals and business), government accounts, or the national address.
- Classification: each government body classifies its services that can be suspended into three categories according to the effect of suspension, separately for individuals and for the business sector, and the Committee approves this classification.
- No spread of harm: when classifying, the body takes care that the harm of suspension does not extend to the person's dependents or others, or to the companies he owns or is a partner or shareholder in, or to the members of their boards, partners, chief executive or employees. If harm occurs to any of them, it must be addressed immediately by appropriate means to stop it.
These rules are safeguards for individuals and establishments; anyone whose services were suspended without a basis or without notification, or where the harm of suspension has extended to their family or company, may consider consulting a lawyer specializing in administrative cases.
Practical example
A judicial order is issued to suspend Khaled's services because of a debt he has not paid. Before the suspension began, he received a text message from the Committee notifying him of it. Because Khaled is a partner in a small company in Jeddah, the Rules take care that the effect of the suspension does not extend to the company or its employees, and if harm occurs to them it must be addressed immediately.
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 2 of the Saudi Rules on Suspending Services
May my services be suspended without a court judgment?
Suspension may be made on the basis of a legal basis, a Council of Ministers decision, a royal order, a judicial order or an order from the Public Prosecution; a court judgment is not the only basis.
Can my services be suspended to force me to appear at a government body?
No. The item expressly states that suspension of services may not be used to notify someone to appear before government bodies.
How am I notified before my services are suspended?
The Committee notifies you a sufficient period beforehand, which it determines, by one or more means such as text messages, email, phone call, Absher or government accounts, or the national address.
Are my family members or company affected by the suspension of my services?
The body takes care that harm does not extend to your dependents or the companies you own or are a partner in and their employees, and if harm occurs to them it is addressed immediately.
Articles this article refers to
- Article 3
Item Third arranges suspension of individuals' services in three stages of increasing effect, with stages one and two each limited to 30 days, and the individual's identity excluded.
1- يكون إيقاف الخدمات للأفراد وفقًا للترتيب الآتي: أ- المرحلة الأولى: إيقاف الخدمات (منخفضة الأثر)، وتشمل: الخدمات الجديدة غير المرتبطة بخدمة قائمة، والخدمات ال
- Article 4
Item Fourth arranges suspension of business-sector services in three stages of increasing effect, with stages one and two each limited to 30 days.
1- يكون إيقاف الخدمات لقطاع الأعمال وفقًا للترتيب الآتي: أ- المرحلة الأولى: إيقاف الخدمات (منخفضة الأثر)، وتشمل: الخدمات الجديدة غير المرتبطة برخصة قائمة، والخد
More articles on Definitions and Controls on Suspending Public Services
- Article 1
Item First defines the key terms in the Rules, above all "services", which may be suspended, excluding healthcare, education, work, the commercial register and identity documents.
الخدمات: جميع الخدمات التي تقدمها الجهات الحكومية، عدا الخدمات المتعلقة بالعلاج والتعليم والعمل، والسجل التجاري، وتوثيق الوقائع المدنية والأوراق الثبوتية. إيقاف
- Article 6
Item Sixth provides that the Rules are published in the Official Gazette and take effect 360 days after publication, the period having been amended from 180 days.
تنشر ضوابط إيقاف الخدمات في الجريدة الرسمية، ويُعمل بها بعد (360) يوماً من تاريخ نشرها.
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.