Anti-Harassment Law

Purpose and scope

• Aims to combat harassment, prevent it, punish offenders and protect victims, safeguarding personal privacy, dignity and freedom (Article 2).
• Harassment: any word, act or gesture with a sexual connotation by one person towards another that touches the body or honour or offends modesty, by any means including modern technology (Article 1).

Key rules, rights and obligations

• A victim's waiver or failure to complain does not stop the competent authorities acting in the public interest, and anyone who learns of a case may report it (Article 3).
• Anyone who learns of a case through work must keep it confidential, and the victim's identity may be disclosed only as required for inquiry, investigation or trial (Article 4).
• Government and private bodies must adopt workplace measures to prevent harassment, including a complaints mechanism, confidential verification and informing staff, and must discipline violators without prejudice to the victim's right to complain (Article 5).

Violations, penalties and common problems

• The penalty is prison of up to two years and a fine of up to one hundred thousand riyals, or either (Article 6).
• It rises to up to five years and three hundred thousand riyals, or either, for a repeat offence or where the victim is a child or has special needs, the offender has authority over the victim, it occurs at a place of work, study, shelter or care, both are of the same sex, the victim is asleep or unconscious, or it occurs during a crisis, disaster or accident (Article 6).
• A summary of the judgment may be published at the convict's expense once it is final (Article 6 as amended).
• Instigators, conspirators and helpers receive the same penalty, an attempt up to half the maximum, and a malicious report or false claim is punished with the penalty for the crime itself (Article 7).

Procedures and key deadlines

• Victims should keep evidence such as messages, recordings and witness names, report to the police or Public Prosecution, and use the employer's internal complaints mechanism.

An advisory summary prepared by Al-Bayan Al-Wadih Law Firm. It is not an official text and does not replace the law, its implementing regulations, or advice from a specialised lawyer. The official published text and its amendments prevail.