Article 55 of the Saudi Weapons and Ammunition Law
المادة 55 من نظام الأسلحة والذخائر
The article provides that applying the penalties of the Weapons and Ammunition Law does not prevent applying any heavier penalty provided for in another law.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
لا يخل تطبيق العقوبات المنصوص عليها في هذا النظام بأي عقوبة أشد ينص عليها نظام آخر.
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 55 explained in plain English
This article sets a rule on the relationship of the Weapons and Ammunition Law with other laws. It provides that applying the penalties provided for in this Law does not prejudice any heavier penalty provided for in another law.
The practical meaning is that a single act may be a violation of the Weapons Law and at the same time a crime punished by another law with a heavier penalty. In that case, the Weapons Law's penalties do not prevent applying the heavier penalty in that other law.
The article does not name particular laws, and does not explain how to combine the penalties or choose between them; it is content with providing that the heavier penalty in another law remains in force.
This article comes after Article 54, which gives the Board of Grievances jurisdiction to hear the cases of violators and impose penalties, without prejudice to the committee's jurisdiction in Article 53. It is followed by Article 56, which allows the Minister to suspend accountability proceedings against anyone who voluntarily reports the unlicensed weapons and ammunition he has and shows readiness to hand them over before they are seized.
Knowing which other laws may apply to a particular incident requires professional judgment, so it is advisable to consult a lawyer who specializes in criminal matters.
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 55 of the Saudi Weapons and Ammunition Law
May a weapon possessor be punished under another law?
Yes. Applying the Weapons and Ammunition Law's penalties does not prejudice any heavier penalty provided for in another law.
Did the article name the other laws it means?
No. The text is general and does not name a particular law.
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 49
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.
تطبق العقوبات - عدا السجن - الواردة في هذا النظام على المؤسسات أو الشركات أو أي منشأة أخرى يثبت مخالفتها لما ورد به من أحكام.
- 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
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.