Okaz/Saudi Gazette

RIYADH — The Ministry of Interior, Presidency of State Security, and the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) are tasked to work out a time bound plan to implement the provisions of the Law of Security Surveillance Cameras, approved by the Council of Ministers. Under the plan, these government bodies will determine the mandatory deadline for installation of camera and security monitoring devices by each category covered under the provisions of the law.

According to a review of the law by Okaz/Saudi Gazette, the surveillance cameras must be fixed or mobile ones, and do not include the cameras that individuals install inside private residential compounds. The provisions of the law prohibit the installation of security surveillance cameras inside facilities and rooms for medical examination, inpatient rooms, physiotherapy facilities, rooms for changing clothes, as well as toilets, salons, and women’s clubs.

Article 5 of the law stipulates that the activity of manufacturing, importing, selling, installing, operating and maintaining security surveillance cameras will not be allowed without obtaining the required approvals beforehand.

The provisions of the law with regard to installation of security surveillance cameras will be applicable to ministries, public authorities and institutions, oil and petrochemical facilities, power generation and water desalination facilities, air tourism facilities, commercial complexes and shopping centers, in addition to financial institutions, banks, money transfer centers, and residential buildings, including complexes in residential buildings.

The provisions of the law will also be applicable to the Grand Mosque in Makkah, the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, the Holy Sites of Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah, mosques, clubs, sports facilities and stadiums, public and private cultural facilities, youth centers, as well as public and private recreational facilities, and public and private health facilities.

It will also be applicable to medical cities, hospitals and clinics, commercial warehouses as well as on main roads and their intersections within cities, highways that connect cities and governorates, fuel stations and gas sales outlets, public and private educational facilities, and facilities that provide food services.

The provisions of the law shall be applied to public transport, event and festival venues, places of economic and commercial activities, public and private museums, and historical and heritage sites that are readied to receive visitors. The Ministry of Interior can include any other site, activity or facility that it deems to be added to the list of facilities that come under the purview of security surveillance cameras.

Those who are responsible to implement the regulations of the law must install, maintain and operate the devices of security surveillance camera systems around the clock, and preserve the recordings. The provisions of the law also stipulate that the recording shall be preserved and that no modifications will be made to it in the event of reporting any specific accident until the completion of the investigation procedures.

The devices, which are subject to the law are classified as high-sensitivity entities or facilities that must directly connected to their security surveillance camera systems; medium-sensitivity destinations, facilities or properties, and low-sensitivity destinations and facilities that do not require linking them to the operating room.

A visible board or panels must be placed in the prominent places of the premises showing that they are equipped with security surveillance cameras. The regulations specify their features, numbers and places of installation.

It is prohibited to transfer and publish camera video footage except with the approval of the Ministry of Interior or the Presidency of State Security or based on a judicial order or at the request of the competent investigation authority.

Punitive measures, including fines will be taken against violators of the law. Fines amounting to SR500 will be slapped for violating technical specifications related to installation of each camera; fine of SR1000 for each camera that was not installed in line with the terms and conditions prescribed in the manual.

The penalty will be SR 5,000 in fine for violation of not keeping the video recordings, and SR20,000 fines for anyone who transmits or publishes the video recordings in violation of the provisions of the law or damage or sabotage devices of security surveillance camera systems or recordings.