Protection from Abuse Law

Purpose and scope

• Ensures protection from all forms of abuse and provides help, shelter and care for those affected (Article 2).
• Abuse is any exploitation or physical, psychological or sexual mistreatment, or threat of it, by one person against another beyond their authority or because of a family or dependency relationship, including failing to provide basic needs to dependants (Article 1 as amended).

Key rules, rights and obligations

• Anyone who learns of abuse must report it immediately; public employees and private-sector workers must inform their employer, which reports to the ministry or police (Article 3).
• The ministry and the police receive reports from victims directly or from government, health or civil bodies (Article 4).
• A reporter's identity may not be disclosed without consent except in specified cases, and those who learn of cases must keep them confidential (Article 5); a reporter in good faith is not liable (Article 6).
• On receiving a report, the ministry acts, for example by arranging health care, stopping further abuse, giving family counselling and summoning the parties (Article 7).

Violations, penalties and common problems

• Committing an act of abuse: one month to one year in prison and a fine of five thousand to fifty thousand riyals, or either, and the court may impose an alternative sentence (Article 13 as amended).
• The penalty rises to one to five years and a fine of fifty thousand to three hundred thousand riyals if the victim has a disability, is a parent, is over sixty or is pregnant and miscarries, or if the abuse occurs at work or school, or involves a weapon (Article 13 as amended).
• Penalties are doubled for a repeat, and anyone who incites or assists receives the same penalty (Article 13 as amended).

Procedures and key deadlines

• If a case threatens the victim's life or safety, the ministry takes urgent measures and may call on the security services to enter the premises (Articles 8 and 9).
• If the ministry considers the act a crime, it reports it to the police and follows the case until proceedings end (Articles 11 and 12 as amended).

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.