Article 5 of the Saudi Rules on Suspending Services

Item Fifth regulates the tool by which services are suspended and the body that supervises it:

• The platform: a unified electronic platform for suspending services is established at the National Information Center.
• The supervisory committee: based in Riyadh, chaired by the Ministry of Interior, with representatives from bodies including the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Investment, the Ministry of Human Resources, the Board of Grievances, the Public Prosecution, the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority, the Human Rights Commission, the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority and others.

The Committee has all powers to manage the platform, including:

1. Preparing electronic forms for government bodies' requests, containing the service to be suspended, its classification, the reason for the request and its legal basis.
2. Deciding on suspension requests.
3. Approving the classification of services that can be suspended into the three stages in items Third and Fourth.
4. Ensuring that the provisions of the Rules are applied.

The item provides two important matters for those affected:

• Automatic lifting of the suspension through the electronic link between the platform and the requesting body within a period not exceeding 24 hours from approval of its cancellation.
• Requesting an extension of the period: individuals and businesses have the right to ask the requesting body to extend the period granted to them before suspension, at each stage. If the body approves electronically, the extension takes place and the person concerned is notified by one of the means of notification in paragraph 4 of item Second.

The Committee sets its own working rules. Anyone whose suspension was delayed in being lifted after cancellation was approved may consider consulting a lawyer specializing in administrative cases.