Saudi Arabia Launches Program to Protect Whistleblowers, Witnesses, and Victims

Saudi Arabia has launched a comprehensive program designed to safeguard whistleblowers, witnesses, experts, and victims, prioritizing their security and safety. This initiative, established under Article 4 of the Law on the Protection of Whistleblowers, Witnesses, Experts and Victims, operates under the purview of the Public Prosecutor.

The program's administration comprises a president, deputy, and two members from the Public Prosecution, alongside representatives from the Interior Ministry, the Presidency of State Security, and the Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority. Published in the official Umm al-Qura newspaper, the regulations mandate that courts may hear testimony and question experts away from defendants and their legal counsel in specific circumstances.

These circumstances include cases where a defendant has a history of harming witnesses or experts, poses a danger to others, or if the testimony relates to a crime connected to an organized criminal group whose members are not all apprehended. In such situations, courts are also required to anonymize witness identities in judicial rulings.

The regulations, effective from Friday, outline a process where the program's administration receives protection requests, forwards them to relevant authorities, and makes recommendations to the Public Prosecutor. It will assess risks, determine appropriate protection measures, and decide on approval, rejection, or modification of protection. The administration will also assist courts in implementing protective measures and coordinate with authorities to manage the affairs of protected individuals, including through electronic means, while ensuring their rights and freedoms are respected.