Article 6 of the Saudi Protection of Whistleblowers, Witnesses, Experts and Victims Law
المادة 6 من نظام حماية المبلغين والشهود والخبراء والضحايا
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.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
للنائب العام -بناء على توصية من إدارة البرنامج ووفقاً لمبدأ المعاملة بالمثل- الموافقة على طلبات السلطات الأجنبية المختصة التي تتلقاها اللجنة الدائمة لطلبات المساعدة القانونية في وزارة الداخلية في شأن توفير الحماية لأي مبلِّغ أو شاهد أو خبير أو ضحية في إقليم المملكة وفقاً لأحكام النظام.
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 6 explained in plain English
This article deals with a case of an international nature: where a competent foreign authority requests that protection be provided to a whistleblower, witness, expert or victim in the territory of the Kingdom.
According to the text, the request passes through the following parties:
- The Permanent Committee for Legal Assistance Requests at the Ministry of the Interior receives the request.
- The program administration issues a recommendation on it.
- The Public Prosecutor may approve it on the basis of that recommendation.
The article restricts this approval in two respects:
- The principle of reciprocity.
- The protection must be under the provisions of the Law.
The text uses the wording "the Public Prosecutor may," so this is a permissive power that the Public Prosecutor assesses, not an obligation to accept every foreign request.
This article is linked to Article 5, which gives the program administration the power to accept whistleblowers, witnesses, experts and victims and determine the type and duration of protection, and to Article 7, which requires, for accepting any of them into the program, that acceptance be based on his reasoned request for protection and on a recommendation from the oversight body, the seizure, inference or investigation body, or the court. Anyone who needs to assess the position in a case of an international nature may consult a lawyer specializing in criminal cases.
Practical example
A competent authority in another country requested protection for a witness in a case it is handling, who currently lives in Riyadh. The request reaches the Permanent Committee for Legal Assistance Requests at the Ministry of the Interior, the program administration recommends on it, and then the Public Prosecutor decides whether to approve it, taking the principle of reciprocity into account.
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 6 of the Saudi Protection of Whistleblowers, Witnesses, Experts and Victims Law
Does Saudi Arabia protect a witness at the request of a foreign state?
The Public Prosecutor may, on the recommendation of the program administration and on the principle of reciprocity, approve the request of competent foreign authorities to provide protection to a person in the territory of the Kingdom under the provisions of the Law.
Which body receives protection requests from foreign states?
The Permanent Committee for Legal Assistance Requests at the Ministry of the Interior.
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 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 12
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.
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، و
- 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.