Shoura OKs law regulating reconciliation, compensation and pardon of convicts
Saudi Gazette report
RIYADH — The Shoura Council on Tuesday approved a draft Law of Reconciliation related with retribution. The law, which contains 18 articles, aims to regulate the rules pertaining to reconciliation, ransom, compensation and pardon of convicts.
The draft law prohibits relatives of convicts from publishing advertisement or launching charity drive to collect donations for the purpose of getting the convicts released from captivity.
The council session, chaired by its Deputy President Dr. Mishaal Al-Silmi, approved the draft law moved by a number of council members based on Article 23 of the council’s system.
This was after the presentation of the report by the Islamic and Judicial Affairs Committee along with its recommendations based on the opinions and viewpoints expressed by the council members during the deliberations in a previous session.
The proposal was presented by council members Dr. Sultan Al Farah, Dr. Sultana Al-Badawi, Dr. Suleiman Al-Fifi, Dr. Faisal Al Fadel, Dr. Mastoura Al-Shamri, and former member Dr. Abdullah Al-Balawi, after listening to the report of the Islamic and Judicial Affairs Committee.
The draft law regulates the process of collecting reconciliation amounts for retribution, estimating and regulating compensation for retribution in the case of premeditated murder or similar crimes, apart from organizing the mechanism for paying the reconciliation amount.
It also spells out about the authorities concerned with its regulation, as well as stipulating the procedures of reconciliation, the relations between various relevant authorities in this regard, enhancing the level of awareness among members of society regarding the provisions for collecting the amount of reconciliation for retribution, and the importance of forgiveness for the sake of God.
The articles of the draft law apply to everyone against whom a legal verdict has been issued after being convicted of murder or similar serious offenses. The articles also include provisions concerned with the victim or the victim’s parents who agreed to pardon in return for compensation or without any compensation.
There are also provisions in the law that prohibit convicts or their guardians from carrying out publicity or advertisement by any means, or opening hospitality or meetings for the purpose of collecting donations for reconciliation. They are also not entitled to contact the victim, or the victim’s parents, or assign anyone to communicate with them. This can be done only with the approval of the reconciliation committee under the emirate of the region.
