Punishment for carrying a licensed weapon

Punishment for carrying a licensed weapon

Punishment for carrying a licensed weapon? It is a question that may seem a bit strange; How can a weapon be licensed and yet penalties be decided on those who carry it?! In fact, the matter does not contain any strangeness, as the fact that a weapon is licensed does not mean that it can be carried anywhere, at any time, or from any person. Moreover, the purpose of carrying itself has its own consideration in criminalization or not, and its explanation is as follows:

Punishment for carrying a licensed weapon

The penalties that can be imposed on a licensed gun holder vary depending on the type of criminal act he commits, and these acts and their penalties are as follows:

First: Carrying a weapon without a license holder

Just because a weapon is licensed does not mean that it can be carried by anyone, but rather that the license does not give the right to carry a weapon except to the license holder only in person, and therefore; The license holder is prohibited from giving his weapon to anyone, even if it is his son, and the basis for this is Article (17) of the Weapons and Ammunition Law, which states: “All licenses issued under the provisions of this system benefit only the licensee himself.“

Punishment for carrying a licensed weapon

Accordingly, violating this will result in penalties for both the license holder and the weapon holder, as follows:

1- The license holder:

He shall be subject to a prison sentence that may reach (one year) in full, and a fine that may reach (5,000) five thousand riyals, or one of these two penalties, according to the discretion of the judge examining the case, and the basis for that is paragraph (d) of Article (41) of the Weapons and Ammunition Law.

2- As for the weapon bearer:

he is expected to be punished with imprisonment, which may reach (18) months, and a fine that may reach (6,000) six thousand riyals, or with one of the two penalties, according to the judge’s discretion, and the basis for that is Article (40) of the Weapons and Ammunition Law.

Second: Carrying weapons in prohibited places

A license to carry a weapon does not give its holder the right to move around with a weapon anywhere he wants, but rather there are places where carrying a weapon is prohibited.

Punishment for carrying a licensed weapon

What are the prohibited places?

Places where it is prohibited to carry weapons are as follows:

Borders of the Two Holy Mosques.
Mosques.
Places near military or petroleum areas.
Government departments and interests.
Airports.
Schools.
Streets.
Public gatherings.
Private and public celebrations.

It is also prohibited to carry weapons in public.

All of these places are specified in accordance with Article (8) of the Executive Regulations of the Weapons and Ammunition System, amended by Ministerial Resolution No. (274833) dated 11/01/1437 AH.

What is the penalty for carrying a weapon in prohibited places?

If the license holder carries a weapon in one of the above-mentioned places, a fine of up to (1000) thousand riyals will be imposed on him, and the basis for this is Article (44) of the Weapons and Ammunition Law.

Punishment for carrying a licensed weapon

Third: Carrying a weapon for purposes other than those for which it was authorized

Every weapons license issued by the Ministry of Interior specifies the purpose for which the license holder can use the weapon. These purposes are multiple and may be limited to acquisition only, or they may go beyond mere acquisition to give the right to carry and move the weapon, and to use it for specific purposes, all of which are specified in the license.

The license holder has the right to use it for the purpose specified therein only, without exceeding the limit. If it is specified for acquisition, he is prohibited from carrying a weapon or moving around with it – except with permission – and also if the license specifies that the purpose of carrying a weapon is self-defense in a specific spatial area, or the purpose is hunting, then the license holder is prohibited from using a weapon for purposes other than these specific purposes.

If the license holder violates this, he shall be subject to a prison sentence of up to (one year) in full, and a fine of up to (5,000) five thousand riyals, or one of the two penalties, according to the judge’s discretion, based on paragraph (a) of Article (41) of the Weapons and Ammunition Law.

Fourth: Using a licensed firearm in hunting

Hunting weapons differ from firearms. The former are intended for hunting purposes only, while firearms are intended for self-defense, safety, etc. Each type of weapon has a different license. The regulator has prohibited the firearm license holder from using it for hunting.

What are firearms?

A firearm is one in which gunpowder is used, such as pistols and rifles. Article 1 of the Executive Regulations of the Weapons and Ammunition System specifies the types of individual firearms, which are:

Cylinder and magazine pistols.
Single shot rifles.
Guns with connected magazine.
Regular rifles with separate magazine.
Stock-held quick-shot rifles.

As for hunting weapons, they are smoothbore weapons, which were originally designed for hunting purposes, meaning that they were prepared from the beginning for use in hunting only.

What is the penalty for using a firearm in hunting?

If the firearm license holder uses his weapon for hunting, he shall be punished with imprisonment for a period of up to (one year) in full, and a fine of up to (5,000) five thousand riyals, or with one of the two penalties, according to the judge’s discretion, and based on paragraph (b) of Article (41) of the Weapons and Ammunition Law.

Fifth: Carrying weapons with the intention of disturbing internal security

It is one of the most dangerous acts, and carrying it out results in serious penalties. A criminal act in this regard cannot be achieved unless it is proven that the intent of carrying a weapon is to disrupt internal security, such as intimidating citizens, exchanging fire in vital or sacred places, or armed robbery of a facility.

The penalty for this act is imprisonment for a period of up to (30) thirty years, and a fine of up to (300,000) three hundred thousand riyals, based on Article (34) of the Weapons and Ammunition Law.

Sixth: Confiscation of licensed weapons

In addition to the penalties we detailed above, the judge shall order the confiscation of the weapon in question, based on paragraph (1) of Article (50) of the Weapons and Ammunition Law.

Punishment for carrying a licensed weapon

At the end of this article, the office of lawyer Abdul Majeed Al Rashid invites you to fully understand your legal rights by communicating with lawyers specialized in systems, and provides you with full legal support by providing legal consultations and services in a distinctive manner to preserve your rights and represent you before the judiciary.