Issued by Royal Decree no. M/14, dated 03/02/1436 H (corresponding to 25/11/2014), the Law aims to provide protection to any person under the age of 18 against any potential abuse or neglect. In accordance with Article 2 thereof, the Law emphasizes the provisions of Islamic Sharia and the international laws and conventions to which the Kingdom is party, which preserve the rights of the child and protect him from all forms of abuse and neglect. It also stresses on defining and educating on the rights of the child, particularly on his protection from abuse and neglect. The implementing regulations were issued by the Minister of Labor and Social Development under Resolution no. 56386, dated 16/06/1436H (corresponding to 05/04/2015), and includes detailed provisions for the implementation of the law. The Law for Civil Associations and Institutions The Law was promulgated by Decree no. M/8, dated 19/02/1437 H (corresponding to 01/12/2015), to regulate, develop and promote civil work, contribute to national development, enhance citizen contribution to community management and development, stimulate the culture of community volunteering; and achieve social solidarity. Under the Law, the Ministry of Labor and Social Development is to license associations and organizations, contribute to their development, provide government assistance, and promote the culture of volunteering in society. With regard to the facilitation of proceedings, Article 8 of the Law reduced the minimum number of applicants required for an association from 20 natural or legal Saudi persons to only 10, and obligated the Ministry of Labor and Social Development to respond to any application within 60 days from the date of submission, otherwise the application shall be considered accepted and the association may be formed. The Law for Crimes of Terrorism and its Financing Promulgated by Royal Decree no. M/21 of 12/02/1439 H (corresponding to 01/11/2017), the Law determines terrorist crimes and the procedural aspects of arrest and detention, the power of counsel and provisional release, the competent court with regards to relevant cases and the definition of crimes and penalties. The Audiovisual Media Law
that the victim, his representative, or his heirs may initiate criminal action, and the person harmed by a crime may submit a claim of private right of action during both the investigation and the stages of the case. Furthermore, Article 215 of the same law provides that a person who has been harmed as a result of malicious accusation or as a result of being detained or imprisoned for a period exceeding the term prescribed for such detention or imprisonment shall be entitled to compensation. With regards to combating torture and abuse, Royal Decree no. 43, dated 29/11/1377 H (corresponding to 17/06/1958), complements other relevant legislations – such as the Law of Criminal Procedure, the Law on Protection from Abuse, the Child Protection Law, and the Convention Against Torture (considered a national legislation once the Kingdom became party to it) – in building a strong legal framework to protect and prevent crimes of torture and abuse, and provide the necessary remedies to the victims, such as rehabilitation, assistance, compensation and the like. Developments in the protection from abuse include the establishment of a specialized center to receive reports on domestic violence at the Ministry of Labor and Social Development, available around the clock at a unified hotline (1919). A committee of governmental bodies was also established to prepare a reference manual for the investigation and documentation of crimes of torture and provide assistance to its victims, in accordance with the Istanbul Protocol, “Manual on the Effective Investigation and Documentation of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.” With regards to juveniles, the Juvenile Law explains all formal procedures for dealing with juveniles. Article 5 provides that a juvenile may only be arrested in the presence of his guardian, in other than flagrante delicto, upon which the guardian must be immediately notified. Article 7 states that a juvenile may not be detained for investigation unless the Public Prosecution deems it necessary for the interest of the case, and in all cases a juvenile may only be detained in centers operated by the Ministry of Labor and Social Development. Furthermore, Article 11 provides that the juvenile may only be interrogated in the presence of his guardian, a social researcher or worker, or his attorney, while Article 12 obliges the detention center to prepare a social report on the juvenile and