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TheRoyalEmbassyofSaudiArabia,Washington,DC,USA

AntiCyberCrimeLaw(8Rabi11428/26March2007)
August1,2010
No.M/17
Date:8/3/1428H
WiththehelpofAlmightyGod,
We,AbdullahbinAbdulazlzAlSaud,
KingoftheKingdomofSaudiArabia,
PursuanttoArticle70oftheBasicLawofGovernance,issuedbyRoyalOrderNo.(A/90),dated27/8/1412H
AndpursuanttoArticle20oftheLawoftheCouncilofMinisters,issuedbyRoyalOrderNo.(A/13),dated
3/3/1414H
AndpursuanttoArticle18oftheShuraCouncilLaw,issuedbyRoyalOrderNo.(A/91),dated27/8/1412H
AnduponperusaloftheShuraCouncil'sResolutionsNo.(68/43),dated16/9/1427H
AnduponperusaloftheCouncilofMinisters'ResolutionNo.(79),dated7/3/1428H
Havedecreedasfollows:
Firstly:theAntiCyberCrimeLawaspertheattachedformshallbeapproved.
Secondly:HisHighness,theVicePresidentoftheCouncilofMinisters,andtheMinisters,eachwithintheir
jurisdiction,shallimplementthisdecreeofours.
(Signed)
AbdullahbinAbdulaziz

Article1:
Thefollowingtermsandphrases,wherevermentionedinthisLaw,shallhavethemeaningsexpressednextto
them,unlessthecontextrequiresotherwise:
1. Person:Anynaturalorcorporateperson,whetherpublicorprivate.
2. InformationSystem:Asetofprogramsanddevicesdesignedformanagingandincludingcomputers.
3. InformationNetwork:Aninterconnectionofmorethanonecomputerorprocessingdata,information
systemtoobtainandexchangedata,e.g.LocalAreaNetwork(LAN),WideAreaNetwork(WAN),and
WorldWideWeb(Internet).
4. Data:Information,commands,messages,voices,orimageswhicharepreparedorhavebeenprepared
foruseincomputers.Thisincludesdatathatcanbesaved,processed,transmitted,orconstructedby
computers,suchasnumbers,letters,codes,etc
5. ComputerPrograms:Asasetofcommandsanddatawhichcontainguidelinesorapplicationswhenrun
incomputersorcomputernetworkstoperformrequiredfunctions.
6. Computer:Anyelectronicdevicewhethermovableorfixed,wiredorwireless,whichisequippedwitha
systemtoprocess,store,transmit,receiveorbrowsedataandperformspecificfunctionsaccordingto
programsandcommands.
7. UnauthorizedAccess:Thedeliberate,unauthorizedaccessbyanypersontocomputers,websites,
informationsystems,orcomputernetworks.
8. CyberCrime:Anyactionwhichinvolvestheuseofcomputersorcomputernetworks,inviolationofthe
provisionsofthisLaw.
9. WebSite:AsiteprovidingdataontheinformationnetworkthroughspecificUniformResourceLocator
(URL).
10. Reception:Illegalviewingorobtainingofdate.
Article2
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ThisLawaimsatcombatingcybercrimesbyidentifyingsuchcrimesanddeterminingtheirpunishmentsto
ensurethefollowing:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Enhancementofinformationsecurity.
Protectionofrightspertainingtothelegitimateuseofcomputersandinformationnetworks.
ProtectionofpublicInterest,morals,andcommonvalues.
Protectionofnationaleconomy.

Article3:
Anypersonwhocommitsoneofthefollowingcybercrimesshallbesubjecttoimprisonmentforaperiodnot
exceedingoneyearandafinenotexceedinglivehundredthousandriyalsortoeitherpunishment:
1. Spyingon,interceptionorreceptionofdatatransmittedthroughaninformationnetworkoracomputer
withoutlegitimateauthorization.
2. Unlawfulaccesstocomputerswiththeintentiontothreatenorblackmailanypersontocompelhimto
takeorrefrainfromtakinganaction,beitlawfulorunlawful.
3. Unlawfulaccesstoawebsite,orhackingawebsitewiththeintentiontochangeitsdesign,destroyor
modifyit,oroccupyitsURL.
4. Invasionofprivacythroughthemisuseofcameraequippedmobilephonesandthelike.
5. Defamationandinflictionofdamageuponothersthroughtheuseofvariousinformationtechnology
devices.
Article4
Anypersonwhocommitsoneofthefollowingcybercrimesshallbesubjecttoimprisonmentforaperiodnot
exceedingthreeyearsandafinenotexceedingtwomillionriyals,ortoeitherpunishment:
1. Acquisitionofmovablepropertyorbondsforoneselforothersorsigningsuchbondsthroughfraudor
useoffalsenameoridentity.
2. Illegallyaccessingbankorcreditdata,ordatapertainingtoownershipofsecuritieswiththeintentionof
obtainingdata,information,fundsorservicesoffered.
Article5:
Anypersonwhocommitsoneofthefollowingcybercrimesshallbesubjecttoimprisonmentforaperiodnot
exceedingfouryearsandafinenotexceedingthreemillionriyalsortoeitherpunishment:
1. Unlawfulaccesstocomputerswiththeintentiontodelete,erase,destroy,leak,damage,alteror
redistributeprivatedata
2. Causingtheinformationnetworktohaltorbreakdown,ordestroying,deleting,leakingoraltering
existingorstoredprogramsordata.
3. Obstructionofaccessto,distortion,andcausingthebreakdownofservicesbyanymeans.
Article6:
Anypersonwhocommitsoneofthefollowingcybercrimesshallbesubjecttoimprisonmentforaperiodnot
exceedingfiveyearsandafinenotexceedingthreemillionriyalsortoeitherpunishment:
1. Production,preparation,transmission,orstorageofmaterialimpingingonpublicorder,religiousvalues,
publicmorals,andprivacy,throughtheinformationnetworkorcomputers.
2. Theconstructionorpublicizingofawebsiteontheinformationnetworkorcomputertopromoteor
facilitatehumantrafficking.
3. Thepreparation,publication,andpromotionofmaterialforpornographicorgamblingsiteswhich
violatespublicmorals.
4. Theconstructionorpublicizingofawebsiteontheinformationnetworkorcomputertotradein,
distribute,demonstratemethodofuseorfacilitatedealinginnarcoticandpsychotropicdrugs.
Article7:
Anypersonwhocommitsoneofthefollowingcybercrimesshallbesubjecttoimprisonmentforaperiodnot
exceedingtenyears,andafinenotexceedingfivemillionriyalsortoeitherpunishment:
1. Theconstructionorpublicizingofawebsiteontheinformationnetworkoronacomputerforterrorist
organizationstofacilitatecommunicationwithleadersormembersofsuchorganizations,financethem,
promotetheirideologies,publicizemethodsofmakingincendiarydevicesorexplosives,oranyother
meansusedinterroristactivities.
2. Unlawfulaccesstoawebsiteoraninformationsystemdirectly,orthroughtheinformationnetworkor
anycomputerwiththeIntentionofobtainingdatajeopardizingtheinternalorexternalsecurityofthe
Stateoritsnationaleconomy.
Article8:
Theimprisonmentandthefinemaynotbelessthanhalfthemaximumifthecrimeiscoupledwithoneofthe
following:
1. Thecrimeisperpetratedthroughorganizedcrime.
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2. Theoffenderholdsapublicofficeandthecrimeperpetratedrelatestothisoffice,orifheperpetrates
thecrimeusinghispowerorinfluence.
3. Theluringandexploitingofminorsandthelike.
4. TheoffenderhasbeenpreviouslyconvictedofsimilarcrimeswithinoroutsidetheKingdom.
Article9:
Anypersonwhoincites,assistsorcollaborateswithotherstocommitanyofthecrimesstipulatedinthisLaw
shallbesubjecttoapunishmentnotexceedingthemaximumpunishmentdesignatedforsuchcrimes,ifthe
crimeiscommittedasaresultofsaidincitement,assistanceorcollaboration,andheshallbesubjecttoa
punishmentnotexceedinghalfthemaximumpunishmentdesignated,iftheintendedcrimeisnotcommitted.
Article10:
AnypersonwhoattemptstocommitanyofthecrimesstipulatedinthisLawshallbesubjecttoapunishment
notexceedinghalfthemaximumpunishmentdesignatedforsaidcrimes.
Article11:
Thecompetentcourtmayexemptanoffenderfromsuchpunishmentsifheinformsthecompetentauthorityof
thecrimepriortoitsdiscoveryandpriortotheinflictionofdamage.Iftheculpritinformsthecompetent
authorityaftertheoccurrenceofthecrime,theexemptionfrompunishmentshallbegrantediftheinformation
heprovideseventuallyleadstothearrestoftheotherculpritsandtheseizureofthemeansusedinthe
perpetrationofthecrime.
Article12:
ApplicationofthisLawshallnotprejudicetheprovisionsofrelevantlaws,especiallythosepertainingto
intellectualpropertyrights,norrelevantinternationalagreementstowhichtheKingdomisparty.
Article13:
Withoutprejudicetotherightsofbonafidepersons,equipment,software,andmeansusedinperpetratingany
ofthecrimesstipulatedinthisLawortheproceedsgeneratedtherefrommaybeconfiscated.Inaddition,the
websiteorthevenuewheretheserviceisprovidedmaybeshutdownpermanentlyortemporarilyifitisthe
sourceforperpetratingthecrimeandthecrimeiscommittedwiththeowner'sknowledge.
Article14:
TheCommunicationsandInformationTechnologyCommission,pursuanttoitspowers,shallprovidethe
assistanceandtechnicalsupporttocompetentsecurityagenciesduringtheInvestigationstagesofsuchcrimes
andduringtrial.
Article15:
TheBureauofInvestigationandPublicProsecutionshallcarryouttheinvestigationandprosecutionofcrimes
stipulatedInthisLaw.
Article16:
ThisLawshallbepublishedintheOfficialGazetteandshallenterintoforceonehundredtwentydaysafterthe
dateofpublication.

Thistranslationisprovidedforguidance.ThegoverningtextistheArabictext.

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