Juveniles Law

Purpose and scope

• Governs the arrest, investigation and trial of juveniles and the measures applied to them; a juvenile is any male or female aged seven to under eighteen (Article 1).
• No one under seven at the time of the act is criminally liable (Article 2), and age is calculated by the Hijri calendar from official documents (Article 3).

Key rules, rights and obligations

• When a juvenile is caught in the act, their guardian is told at once; otherwise the arrest is made in the guardian's presence where possible (Article 5), and notice to a juvenile is valid only if the guardian is notified (Article 6).
• A juvenile may not be detained for investigation unless the prosecution sees a need, and only in a juvenile home by a reasoned order (Article 7); detention ends after five days unless extended under the rules (Article 9).
• The prosecution questions a juvenile only with the guardian, a social worker or a lawyer present, inside the home (Article 11).
• A juvenile is tried in their own and their guardian's presence, with the right to a lawyer (Article 14).

Violations, penalties and common problems

• A juvenile under fifteen may receive only measures, such as reprimand, handing over to the guardian, a ban from certain places, social supervision, or placement in a social institution for up to a year if aged twelve or over (Article 15).
• A juvenile aged fifteen or over receives the usual penalties except prison, being placed in the home for up to half the maximum term, or up to ten years for offences punishable by death (Article 15).
• The law does not affect Sharia rules on hudud and qisas offences (Article 16).
• Judgments against a juvenile are kept in a special register at the home and do not create a criminal record (Article 19).

Procedures and key deadlines

• The court may grant conditional release after a quarter of the placement term, with return to the home if conditions are breached (Article 20).
• If a juvenile turns eighteen before the term ends, they move to prison for the rest unless the court decides otherwise (Article 17).
• The home prepares a social report on the juvenile for the court (Article 12), and the Criminal Procedure Law applies where this law is silent (Article 22).

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.