More prosecution prospects in Saudi Arabia's fight against
corruption
The Saudi Council of Ministers approved a robust new legal
framework in July 2024, aimed at addressing corruption among
government employees. This legislation, known as the Saudi
Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority (Nazaha) Law, will take
effect on November 7, 2024. This law, initially enacted by Prime
Minister Decree No. 165 of 2011, was updated by Law No. M/25 of
2024. The New Nazaha Law aims to intensify these efforts.
Reverse Burden of Proof: A Key Change
The New Law introduces comprehensive procedures for prosecuting
government officials whose wealth appears disproportionate to their
declared income. As per Article 2, if a public official accumulates
unexplained wealth linked to corruption, bribery, or abuse of
power, they will bear the burden of proving the legitimacy of those
assets. This obligation extends to immediate family members,
including spouses, children, and parents. This
