Article 12 of the Saudi Protection of Whistleblowers, Witnesses, Experts and Victims Law
المادة 12 من نظام حماية المبلغين والشهود والخبراء والضحايا
The article establishes a Security Department in each of the Ministry of Interior and the Presidency of State Security to apply protection or security escort for protected persons, leaving its tasks to the Implementing Regulations.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تنشأ وفق أحكام النظام إدارة أمنية في كل من: (وزارة الداخلية، ورئاسة أمن الدولة) يوكل إليها تطبيق الحماية أو المرافقة الأمنية للمشمولين بالحماية كلٌ فيما يخصه، وتحدد اللائحة المهمات والاختصاصات المنوطة بها.
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 12 explained in plain English
This article provides for the establishment of a Security Department in each of:
- the Ministry of Interior; and
- the Presidency of State Security.
These departments are entrusted with applying protection or security escort for protected persons, "each within its own remit", meaning each department does so within what concerns the body it belongs to. The tasks and powers entrusted to these departments are left by the article to the Implementing Regulations, so their details cannot be known from the text itself.
This is the "Security Department" that Article 1 defines as the department responsible, under the provisions of the Law, for applying security protection to those covered by the program. A protected person, under the same article, is someone for whom the program administration decides to provide any type of protection.
Article 11 is linked to this article: among the protected person's obligations are cooperating, as far as possible, with all requests made by the Security Department under the Law and the Implementing Regulations, and refraining from activities that may harm them or the Security Department's security. Article 13 also requires the program administration, in coordination with the relevant bodies, to take the necessary measures to protect the protected person from physical injury and to ensure their health, safety and social adaptation throughout the protection period.
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 12 of the Saudi Protection of Whistleblowers, Witnesses, Experts and Victims Law
Who provides security protection for witnesses in Saudi Arabia?
A Security Department established in each of the Ministry of Interior and the Presidency of State Security, entrusted with applying protection or security escort for protected persons, each within its own remit.
Where are the tasks of the witness protection Security Department set out?
The Implementing Regulations specify the tasks and powers entrusted to it.
More articles on Whistleblower and Witness Protection Program
- Article 1
Defines the Law's key terms, including whistleblower, witness, expert, victim, protection, covered crimes, the program and the person covered by protection.
يقصد بالألفاظ والعبارات الآتية -أينما وردت في هذا النظام- المعاني الموضحة أمام كل منها: النظام: نظام حماية المبلِّغين والشهود والخبراء والضحايا. اللائحة: اللائح
- Article 4
Establishes in the Public Prosecution a special program for protecting whistleblowers, witnesses, experts and victims, and refers its structure, administration, tasks and funding mechanism to the Regulations.
يُنشأ وفق أحكام النظام برنامج خاص في النيابة العامة يسمى "برنامج حماية المبلِّغين والشهود والخبراء والضحايا"، وتحدد اللائحة الهيكل التنظيمي للبرنامج وإدارته ومه
- Article 5
Gives the program administration, by its decision and under the Law, the power to accept whistleblowers, witnesses, experts and victims into the program and to determine the type and duration of protection.
لإدارة البرنامج بقرار منها -وفقاً لأحكام النظام- صلاحية قبول المبلِّغين والشهود والخبراء والضحايا في البرنامج وتحديد نوع الحماية المقدم لهم ومدته.
- Article 6
Allows the Public Prosecutor, on the program administration's recommendation and on reciprocity, to approve foreign authorities' requests to protect a whistleblower, witness, expert or victim in the Kingdom.
للنائب العام -بناء على توصية من إدارة البرنامج ووفقاً لمبدأ المعاملة بالمثل- الموافقة على طلبات السلطات الأجنبية المختصة التي تتلقاها اللجنة الدائمة لطلبات المس
- Article 8
The article allows the Attorney General to provide protection without consent, for no more than 30 days and extendable, to a person believed to face imminent danger, and to delegate some powers.
يجوز للنائب العام في حال توفر ما يبعث على الاعتقاد بإمكان تعرّض المبلِّغ أو الشاهد أو الخبير أو الضحية لخطر وشيك، توفير الحماية له دون موافقته، لمدة لا تزيد على
- Article 13
The article requires the program administration, in coordination with relevant bodies, to protect the protected person from injury and ensure their health, safety and social adaptation, while respecting their rights and freedoms.
على إدارة البرنامج -بالتنسيق مع الجهات المعنية- اتخاذ الإجراءات اللازمة لوقاية المشمول بالحماية من الإصابة الجسدية، وضمان صحته وسلامته وتكيّفه الاجتماعي، طوال ف
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.