Article 57 of the Saudi Weapons and Ammunition Law
المادة 57 من نظام الأسلحة والذخائر
The article allows the Board of Grievances to suspend the execution of a prison sentence for violations of the Law for considered reasons, unless the violator was previously sentenced and repeated the same violation, and regulates cancelling the suspension and the lapse of the judgment's effects.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
أ - لديوان المظالم -ولأسباب معتبرة، أو إذا ظهر له من أخلاق المحكوم عليه أو ماضيه أو سنه أو ظروفه الشخصية أو الظروف التي ارتكبت فيها المخالفة أو غير ذلك مما يبعث على الاعتقاد بأن المتهم لن يعود إلى مخالفة أحكام هذا النظام- وقف تنفيذ عقوبة السجن المحكوم بها من العقوبات الواردة في هذا النظام ما لم يكن سبق أن حكم عليه وعاد إلى المخالفة نفسها. ويجب أن تبين الأسباب التي استند إليها الحكم في جميع الأحوال.
ب - إذا عاد المحكوم عليه لارتكاب مخالفة من المخالفات المعاقب عليها بموجب هذا النظام خلال مدة ثلاث سنوات من تاريخ وقف تنفيذ العقوبة فلديوان المظالم إلغاء وقف التنفيذ والأمر بإنفاذ العقوبة دون الإخلال بالعقوبة المقررة عن المخالفة الجديدة.
ج - إذا انقضت مدة وقف تنفيذ العقوبة دون عودة المحكوم عليه لارتكاب إحدى المخالفات المعاقب عليها في هذا النظام، فإن الحكم الموقوف يعد كأن لم يكن وتنقضي كل آثاره.
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 57 explained in plain English
This article gives the Board of Grievances the power to suspend the execution of the prison sentence imposed for violations of this Law, and regulates what follows from that:
- When suspension is permitted (a): for considered reasons, or if the convicted person's character, past, age, personal circumstances, the circumstances in which the violation was committed, or other matters give reason to believe that he will not return to violating the Law. Suspension is not permitted if he was previously sentenced and returned to the same violation. The judgment must state the reasons it relied on in all cases.
- Cancelling the suspension (b): if the convicted person returns to committing a violation punishable under this Law within three years of the date of suspending execution, the Board of Grievances may cancel the suspension and order the sentence to be carried out, without prejudice to the penalty for the new violation.
- Lapse of effects (c): if the suspension period ends without a return to the violation, the suspended judgment is considered as if it had not been issued, and all its effects lapse.
Note that, under the text, the suspension concerns the prison sentence only, and that cancelling it upon a return to violation is discretionary for the Board of Grievances.
This article comes after Article 56, which allows the Minister to suspend accountability for anyone who hands in unlicensed weapons before they are seized. It is followed by Article 58, which allows the Minister to permit the re-export of weapons that arrive without prior permission if they were declared before being seized.
Anyone sentenced to prison in a weapons case who wishes to know whether its execution may be suspended may consult a lawyer who specializes in criminal matters.
Practical example
A twenty-year-old young man was sentenced to prison for possessing a weapon without a license, his first violation. Considering his age and circumstances, the Board of Grievances found that he would not return, so it suspended the execution of the prison sentence and stated its reasons. If the suspension period ends without his committing a violation of this Law, the judgment is considered as if it had not been issued.
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 57 of the Saudi Weapons and Ammunition Law
Can the execution of a prison sentence be suspended in weapons cases?
Yes. The Board of Grievances may suspend it for considered reasons, or if the convicted person's circumstances indicate he will not return, unless he was previously sentenced and returned to the same violation.
What happens if the convicted person commits a new violation?
If he returns within three years of the date of suspending execution, the Board of Grievances may cancel the suspension and carry out the sentence, in addition to the penalty for the new violation.
What is the effect of the suspension period ending without a violation?
The suspended judgment is considered as if it had not been issued, and all its effects lapse.
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.