False Report Penalty in Saudi Arabia: Suing for Compensation

You were summoned to the police because your neighbour reported that you threatened him with a weapon. You were not even in the city that day, and the two of you have an old dispute over a parking space. Two months later the complaint was closed. Now you ask: can I sue him? Will he be punished?

Yes, you may claim compensation if it is proved that the accusation against you was malicious, before the court that heard the original case (Article 215 of the Law of Criminal Procedure). The person who made the malicious report may receive a ta'zir (discretionary) penalty according to the facts. For malicious harassment reports, the law sets the penalty as the same penalty as the crime of harassment. But a closed complaint or an acquittal does not, on its own, prove the report was malicious.

What is the difference between a malicious report and one that was not proved?

Everyone has the right to report what they believe is a crime. If the evidence is not enough and the complaint is closed, that does not mean the person who reported lied. A malicious report (balagh kaydi) is one made by a person who knows the event did not happen, or did not happen the way he described it, with the aim of harming the person reported or putting pressure on him.

So read the reasons for closing the complaint or for the judgment before you act. Did they conclude that the event never happened? That it could not be linked to you? Or that the evidence was not enough? The first brings you closer to proving malice; the last is not enough on its own.

What is the penalty for a false report in Saudi Arabia?

There is no general text setting a prison term for every false report. A malicious report is a forbidden act punished by a discretionary penalty after it is proved at trial (Article 3 of the Law of Criminal Procedure), and the court sets the penalty according to how serious the accusation was and its effect. But some laws expressly deal with specific cases:

How do you prove the report was malicious?

You need something showing the person who reported knew what he said was untrue, not just that he dislikes you. Useful evidence includes:

• The decision to close the complaint or the judgment and its reasons, especially if it concluded that the event did not happen.
• Proof that the event was impossible: a travel ticket, a work attendance record, or a camera recording showing where you were.
• Messages in which the person threatens to file a report to pressure you in another dispute, or offers to withdraw it in return for a concession.
• A document he held that contradicts his account, such as an authorisation or payment receipt he hid from the authority.

Separate evidence of a dispute from evidence that the accusation was invented. A message about a money dispute proves there is a conflict between you, but not that he invented the threat. Do not try to get evidence by accessing his account or editing a chat; the case will turn against you. And do not publish his name on social media, as this may be treated as defamation.

A partner reported that his partner took SAR 200,000 from the company account. The documents then showed that the payment was made under an authorisation signed by the person who reported.

If it is proved he knew about the authorisation and hid it from the authority, this is closer to malice. But if there was a real disagreement about the limits and meaning of the authorisation, the report was a mistake in judgment, not a lie.

How do you claim compensation for a false report?

Article 215 gives anyone harmed by a malicious accusation, or by detention or imprisonment longer than the permitted period, the right to claim compensation before the court that heard the original case. The basis for compensation in the Civil Transactions Law is that anyone whose fault causes harm to another must compensate it (Article 120).

Compensation covers the loss suffered and the gain missed (Article 137), and moral harm from psychological suffering or damage to your reputation and social standing (Article 138). So set out what you claim and the documents for it: days in detention, lawyer's fees, lost working days, and the effect of the report on your job or business. A large figure with no calculation does not strengthen the claim.

Watch the deadline. A claim for compensation for a harmful act will not be heard after 3 years from when you learned of the harm and of the person responsible, and in any case not after 10 years from when it happened. The exception is a claim arising from a crime, which can be heard as long as the criminal case can still be heard (Article 143). Do not delay your claim relying on this exception.

This is general information based on the official Arabic texts of Saudi laws, which prevail over any translation. It is not legal advice for your specific case.

Practical solutions for both sides

If the report was made against you:

• First answer the facts themselves with documents: where you were and what really happened, before talking about the other person's intent.
• Get a copy of the decision to close the complaint or the judgment and its reasons.
• Collect evidence that he knew it was false, not only evidence of a dispute.
• Document your losses with figures: the period of detention, the fees, the lost income.
• Do not publish counter-accusations on social media. Give what you have to the competent authority.

If you made the report and now face an accusation of malice:

• Explain the source of your information, the circumstances that led you to report, and the documents you relied on.
• In your statements, separate what you saw yourself, what others told you, and what you concluded.
• If you discover that information you gave was wrong, correct it with the authority at once, with a document.
• Do not offer to withdraw the report in return for a concession in another dispute. That offer itself may be used as evidence of malice.

If a complaint against you was closed or you were acquitted, and you want to know whether you have grounds for compensation, send the decision or judgment and any messages you have on WhatsApp, and we will read them with you.