Anti-Cyber Crime Law

Article 1

In this Law, the following terms shall have the meanings assigned thereto, unless the context requires otherwise:
1. Person: Any natural or corporate person, whether public or private.
2. Information System: A set of programs and devices designed to manage and process data, including computers.
3. Information Network: An interconnection of more than one computer or information system to obtain and exchange data, e. g. Local Area Network (LAN), Wide Area Network (WAN), and the World Wide Web (Internet).
4. Data: Information, commands, messages, voices, or images which are
prepared or have been prepared for use in computers. This includes data which can be saved, processed, transmitted, or constructed by computers, such as numbers, letters, symbols, etc.
5. Computer Programs: A set of commands and data which contain
instructions or applications when run on computers or computer networks and perform required functions.
6. Computer: Any electronic device whether movable or fixed, wired or wireless, which is equipped with a system to process, store, transmit, receive, or browse data, and which performs specific functions according to programs and commands.
7. Unauthorized Access: The deliberate, unauthorized access of any person to computers, web sites, information systems, or computer networks.
8. Cyber Crime: Any act which involves the use of computers or information networks, in violation of the provisions of this Law.
9. Web Site: A site providing data on an information network through a specific
Uniform Resource Locator (URL).
10. Reception: Illegally viewing or obtaining data.

Article 2

This Law aims at combating cybercrimes by identifying such crimes and determining their punishments to ensure the following:
1. Enhancing information security.
2. Protecting rights pertaining to the legitimate use of computers and information networks.
3. Protecting public interest, morals, and common values.
4. Protecting the national economy.

Article 3

Any person who commits any of the following cybercrimes shall be subject to
imprisonment for a period not exceeding one year and a fine not exceeding 500,000 riyals, or either penalty:
1. Spying on, or interception or reception of data transmitted through an information network or a computer without legitimate authorization.
2. Unauthorized access with the intention of threatening or blackmailing any person to compel him to take or refrain from taking an action, be it lawful or unlawful.
3. Unauthorized access to a web site, or hacking a web site to change its design, destroy or modify it, or occupy its URL.
4. Invasion of privacy through the misuse of camera-equipped mobile phones and the like.
5. Defamation and infliction of damage upon others through the use of various
information technology devices.

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Article 4

Any person who commits any of the following cybercrimes shall be subject to
imprisonment for a period not exceeding three years and a fine not exceeding 2,000,000 riyals, or either penalty:
1. Acquisition of movable property or bonds for oneself or others or signing such bonds through fraud or the use of a false name or identity.
2. Illegal access to bank or credit data, or data pertaining to the ownership of securities with the intention of obtaining data, information, funds, or services offered.

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Article 5

Any person who commits any of the following cybercrimes shall be subject to
imprisonment for a period not exceeding four years and a fine not exceeding 3,000,000 riyals, or either penalty:
1. Unauthorized access with the intention of canceling, deleting, destroying, leaking, damaging, altering, or redistributing private data.
2. Causing an information network to halt or breakdown, or destroying, deleting, leaking, damaging, or altering existing or used programs or data.
3. Obstructing access to, distorting, or causing the breakdown of services by any means.

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Article 6

Previous Amendments

Imprisonment for a period not exceeding five years and a fine not exceeding three million Riyals, or one of these penalties, shall be imposed on any person who commits any of the following cybercrimes:
1- Producing anything that may affect public order, religious values, public morals, or the sanctity of private life, or preparing, sending, or storing it via the information network, or any computer device.
2- Creating or publishing a website on the information network, or any computer device, for the purpose of human trafficking, or facilitating transactions related to it.
3- Creating materials and data related to pornographic networks, or activities that violate public morals, or publishing or promoting them.
4- Creating or publishing a website on the information network, or any computer device, for the purpose of trafficking in drugs, or psychotropic substances, or promoting them, or methods of consumption, or facilitating transactions related to them.
The judgment issued to determine the penalty may include a provision for publishing a summary of it at the expense of the convicted person in one or more local newspapers or in any other appropriate medium, depending on the type of crime committed, its severity, and its impact, provided that the publication occurs after the judgment has become final.

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Article 7

Any person who commits any of the following cybercrimes shall be subject to
imprisonment for a period not exceeding 10 years and a fine not exceeding 5,000,000 riyals, or either penalty:
1. Establishing or publicizing a web site on an information network or computer for terrorist organizations to facilitate communication with the leaders or members of such organizations, finance them, promote their ideologies, publicize methods of making incendiary devices or explosives, or any other means used in terrorist activities.
2. Unauthorized access to a web site or information system directly, or through an information network or computer to obtain data that threatens the internal or external security of the State or its national economy.

Article 8

The imprisonment and the fine may not be less than half the maximum if the crime is coupled with any of the following:
1. The crime is perpetrated through organized crime.
2. The offender holds a public office and the crime perpetrated is related to this office, or the offender perpetrates the crime using his power or influence.
3. The luring and exploitation of minors and the like.
4. The offender has been previously convicted of similar crimes within or outside the Kingdom.

Article 9

Any person who incites, assists, or collaborates with others to commit any of
the crimes stipulated in this Law shall be subject to a punishment not exceeding
the maximum punishment prescribed for such crimes, if the crime is committed as a result of said incitement, assistance, or collaboration, and he shall be subject to a punishment not exceeding half the maximum prescribed punishment if the intended crime is not committed.

Article 10

Any person who attempts to commit any of the crimes stipulated in this Law shall be subject to a punishment not exceeding half the maximum punishment prescribed for said crimes.

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