Anti-Trafficking in Persons Law

Purpose and scope

• Prohibits trafficking in persons in any form, including by coercion, threats, fraud, abduction, abuse of office, influence or the victim's vulnerability, for purposes including sexual abuse, forced labour, begging, slavery, organ removal and medical experiments (Article 2).

Key rules, rights and obligations

• The victim's consent is irrelevant in any of these crimes (Article 5).
• During investigation and trial the victim is told their rights in a language they understand, seen by a doctor when needed, placed in a rehabilitation or shelter centre if required and given security protection, and a foreign victim may be allowed to stay or work during proceedings (Article 15).

Violations, penalties and common problems

• Trafficking is punishable by up to fifteen years in prison, a fine of up to one million riyals, or both (Article 3), aggravated when committed by an organised group or against a woman, a person with special needs or a child (Article 4).
• Using force, threats or gifts to obstruct justice in these crimes (Article 6), or knowingly holding their proceeds (Article 9), carries up to five years, up to two hundred thousand riyals, or both.
• Knowing of the crime and not reporting it: up to two years, up to one hundred thousand riyals, or both (Article 7); an attempt carries the penalty for the completed crime (Article 10).
• A legal person in whose name or for whose account the crime is knowingly committed is fined up to ten million riyals and may be dissolved or closed (Article 13); funds and tools used or obtained may be confiscated (Article 11).

Procedures and key deadlines

• An offender who reports to the authorities before the crime is carried out is exempt if this leads to its discovery or the arrest of the offenders (Article 12).
• Common forms: holding a worker or confiscating their passport and forcing them to work unpaid, and using children for begging.

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.