Saudi Ministry of Commerce: Adopting the penalty of defamation of violators through electronic means

 Media In / Riyadh 10 July 2018

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Trade and Investment said today that the Cabinet’s approval today to include the punishment of defamation as an electronic means, “in addition to the local newspapers”, serves the public interest in preventing and violating violators. The regulations that have been approved for defamation by other means, in addition to local newspapers, are: “Anti-Commercial Fraud Prevention System, Anti-Counterfeiting System and Commercial Data System”. The Ministry of Trade and Investment confirmed that under the amendments to the regulations, the competent court may determine the manner of publishing the defamation penalty either in a local newspaper or in any other way According to the type, severity and impact of the violation, provided that the publication after the acquisition of the judgment is final and at the expense of the violator. Defamation penalties are issued against those who violate the provisions of the regulations and deliberately harm the individual and society, and the extension of the penalty of defamation to include modern electronic means and effective achievement of the goals and purposes of the desired punishment, which is the deterrent and denial of the violators, and ensure the largest number of interested in the public interest. Other means included in the amendment are websites, social media, text messages, e-mail, electronic applications and other emerging means that contribute to delivering the message to the public.