Article 49 of the Saudi Weapons and Ammunition Law
المادة 49 من نظام الأسلحة والذخائر
The article applies the Weapons and Ammunition Law's penalties, except imprisonment, to institutions, companies, and any other establishment proven to have violated its provisions.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تطبق العقوبات - عدا السجن - الواردة في هذا النظام على المؤسسات أو الشركات أو أي منشأة أخرى يثبت مخالفتها لما ورد به من أحكام.
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 49 explained in plain English
This article extends the scope of the penalties to legal persons: institutions, companies, and any other establishment. If an establishment's violation of the Law's provisions is proven, the penalties in it are applied to it.
But the article excepted the penalty of imprisonment, which is a logical exception because an establishment cannot be imprisoned. The other penalties, such as fines, therefore remain applicable to it.
This article is of particular interest to establishments that work in weapons-related activities, since violations of the Law's provisions can occur from them.
The article does not address the liability of the natural persons working in the establishment or its managers, and does not provide that punishing the establishment prevents or requires punishing them; the text is limited to applying the penalties to the establishment itself.
This article comes after Article 48, which provides that a participant in any violation is punished with the same penalty set for it. It is followed by Article 50, which provides for the confiscation of seized weapons, ammunition, and equipment by judicial ruling, and the confiscation of the means of transport if the violation is smuggling.
An establishment facing a violation under this Law may consult a lawyer who specializes in criminal or commercial matters.
Practical example
A hunting weapons store in Abha violated one of the conditions of its sales license. The penalties set for this violation, such as a fine, may be applied to the establishment itself, but imprisonment is not applied to it because it is an establishment.
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 49 of the Saudi Weapons and Ammunition Law
Are companies punished under the Weapons and Ammunition Law?
Yes. The penalties in the Law are applied to institutions, companies, and any other establishment proven to have violated its provisions.
Which penalty is not applied to an establishment?
Imprisonment, as the article expressly excepts it.
More articles on Weapon Confiscation and Trial Procedures
- Article 48
The article provides that anyone proven to have participated in committing any violation under the Weapons and Ammunition Law is punished with the penalty set for the violation itself.
يعاقب بالعقوبة المقررة على المخالفة نفسها كل من تثبت مشاركته في ارتكاب أي مخالفة من المخالفات الواردة في هذا النظام.
- Article 50Amended (1437 AH)
The article provides for the confiscation by judicial ruling of seized weapons, ammunition, and equipment, and of the means of transport in smuggling, and sets what happens to seized items when proceedings cannot be brought or lapse.
1- إضافة إلى العقوبات المنصوص عليها في هذا النظام، يصادر بحكم قضائي جميع ما يضبط من أسلحة وذخائر ومعدات متعلقة بها. وإذا كانت المخالفة تهريباً فتصادر وسيلة النق
- Article 51
The article requires aggravating the penalties in Articles 34, 35, and 36 if the violator is an employee of the bodies concerned with applying the Weapons and Ammunition Law.
يراعى تشديد العقوبات المقررة في المواد (الرابعة والثلاثين، والخامسة والثلاثين، والسادسة والثلاثين) من هذا النظام إذا كان مرتكب المخالفة أحد موظفي الجهات ذات الع
- Article 52
The article assigns the investigation of violations of the Weapons and Ammunition Law to the Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution.
تتولى هيئة التحقيق والادعاء العام التحقيق في مخالفات أحكام هذا النظام.
- Article 53Amended (1437 AH)
The article creates a three-member committee by decision of the Minister to consider imposing the penalties in Articles 43 (except paragraph c), 44, 45, and 46, and allows a grievance against its decisions before the Administrative Court within sixty days.
تكوّن – بقرار من الوزير – لجنة من ثلاثة أعضاء يكون من بينهم واحد من المؤهلين في العلوم الشرعية أو النظامية للنظر في توقيع العقوبات المنصوص عليها في المواد (الثا
- Article 54
The article gives the Board of Grievances jurisdiction to hear the cases of violators of the Weapons and Ammunition Law and impose penalties, without prejudice to the committee's jurisdiction under Article 53.
مع عدم الإخلال بما تقضي به المادة (الثالثة والخمسون) من هذا النظام، يختص ديوان المظالم بالنظر في قضايا المخالفين لأحكام هذا النظام، وتوقيع العقوبات الواردة فيه.
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.