Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH – Saudi Arabia’s higher authorities have accorded approval for making three new amendments in the Anti-Bribery Law, Okaz/Saudi Gazette has learnt from well-informed sources. The competent authorities and heads of the concerned agencies and departments have been notified about the amendments with copies of the amended text of the law being circulated to them, the sources said.

The amendments include using the phrase “every person” instead of the phrase “every public employee.” The amendments also included what was stated in paragraph 7of Article 8, as follows: “Foreign public officials and employees of international institutions and organizations in connection with the conduct of international business.”

According to the sources, there was also an amendment in Article 15, to read as follows: “Judgment shall be issued in the case of a person, who has been proven guilty of the crime of bribery, to confiscate the money, advantage or benefit that involved in the crime whenever possible, or confiscate its value, as the case may be, and confiscate any proceeds from the money or advantage or benefit.”

The amendments were made after reviewing a letter from the Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority (Nazaha) regarding the new amendment of the law that came into being in 1992 and the amendments made in it later, in addition to the minutes prepared by the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers and the studies carried out by the competent authorities apart from the recommendations of the Shoura Council.

It is noteworthy that Saudi Arabia approved the Anti-Bribery Law as per a Royal Decree issued on July 1, 1992 and the Kingdom later expanded the provisions of the law bringing the private sector under its purview as per another Royal Decree issued in March 2019. Under the law, bribery is defined as a gift, financial or other advantage offered or received directly or indirectly, to induce or reward the improper performance of a person’s professional duty.