Saudi Gazette/Okaz report on the latest development in Saudi Arabia’s efforts to codify its legal system. Here, the issues concern arrest and detention as addressed in a draft law not being studied. It would prohibit police from getting involved in ‘private’ cases—that is, civil suits—unless they were invited in or unless the issue rose to the level of great social concern. The detention periods prior to trials appear to be briefer, sometimes just a matter of days, but can still extend to six months through a process of renewals of detention orders. After that period, the accused is either to be tried or released.

New draft law of punitive proceedings
Adnan Shabrawi

JEDDAH – The new draft law of punitive proceedings being studied by the Experts Commission of the Council of Ministers contains significant amendments of articles currently being applied.

The new amendments state that the Commission for Investigation and Prosecution (CIP) has no right to file a punitive lawsuit or conduct investigation on private cases without the permission or the request of the plaintiff unless the CIP deems the case to be in the public interest.

Article 112 in the new draft states that on the basis of the recommendation of the Chairman of the CIP, the Minster of Interior determines which major crimes or felonies necessitate detention.

It also requires that all felonies be defined by the Minister of Interior and published in the official gazette to enable the public to know about them.
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