What you need to know about Anti-Corruption and Oversight Authority Law

Logo of Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority

Saudi Arabia’s Cabinet, chaired by King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, has recently approved the new Anti-Corruption and Oversight Authority Law.

The official gazette, Umm Al-Qura, published the details of the law, which includes 24 articles outlining Nazaha’s duties and procedures.

According to the law, the authority is responsible for administrative oversight of public entities, safeguarding integrity, enhancing transparency, and combating corruption. To this end, its duties include:

1- Conducting necessary oversight to uncover administrative violations and corruption crimes, and taking appropriate action in accordance with relevant legal provisions.

2- Receiving complaints and reports related to administrative violations and corruption crimes, verifying their accuracy, and taking the necessary legal action.

3- Initiating investigations into administrative and financial violations and corruption crimes, filing lawsuits before the competent court, and taking appropriate legal measures.

4- Conducting criminal investigation and arrest procedures in cases of corruption crimes, in accordance with relevant legal provisions.

5- Coordinating with relevant authorities to recover funds and proceeds derived from corruption crimes, and completing the necessary legal procedures.

6- Taking precautionary and protective measures against individuals suspected of committing corruption crimes, based on relevant legal provisions.

7- Providing necessary protection for whistleblowers and individuals who provide information about administrative violations or corruption crimes, in accordance with the relevant laws.

8- Reviewing the working methods and procedures in public entities to protect integrity, enhance transparency, and identify vulnerabilities that may lead to violations or corruption crimes, and working to address them. The authority also coordinates with public entities to enhance and develop necessary measures, mechanisms, and means to prevent violations or corruption crimes, and to update them regularly.

9- Raising awareness about the concept of corruption, its risks, and impacts, as well as the importance of protecting integrity, enhancing transparency, and promoting self-regulation. The authority also encourages efforts by both the public and private sectors, as well as civil society organizations, to adopt plans and programs for protecting integrity, enhancing transparency, and combating corruption.

10- Proposing new regulations and policies related to administrative oversight, protecting integrity, enhancing transparency, and combating corruption, as well as suggesting amendments to existing ones and submitting them for approval according to legal procedures.