Punishment for false testimony
False testimony is considered one of the greatest major sins and one of the greatest abominations in Islamic law. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has imposed a penalty on anyone proven to have committed the crime of false testimony, because it gives the right to someone other than its owner, causes injustice to one of them, and violates justice.
In this tour, we answer some questions related to perjury, the punishment for perjury in Saudi Arabia, and other important details.
Contact a group of expert lawyers from the office of Attorney Abdul Majeed Al Rashid in all specialties.
What is a certificate?
It is when a witness submits statements or information to the court and answers questions from the judge or lawyers, etc. The testimony is considered valid evidence and is taken into account in accordance with what is stated in Article 65 of the Evidence System. It is one of the strongest pieces of evidence after confession and has its own terms and conditions. Therefore, the witness must be truthful and honest without distortion and not be lenient with the subject of the testimony so that justice is applied and rights are not lost.
What is perjury?
What is perjury?
It is when a witness submits statements to the court that he knows are false and incorrect, which leads to giving the right to someone other than its owner or paying something on behalf of the person requesting the testimony and the beneficiary of it.
What is the ruling on false testimony?
False testimony is forbidden in Islamic law and is a crime punishable by false witness under Saudi law. The judge has the right to accept or reject testimony in accordance with the circumstances of the case, the conditions of the testimony that must be available, and others.
Examples of perjury:
There are some examples of perjury, including but not limited to the following:
False testimony of a person’s involvement in a crime he did not commit:
Providing false testimony claiming that someone committed a crime and is in fact innocent of it.
False testimony denying the commission of a crime committed by a person:
Providing false testimony denying the commission of a crime by someone who actually committed it.
False testimony regarding a religion or property that does not exist:
Providing false testimony claiming the existence of a debt or ownership of a property or plot of land to a person who has no right to it.
False testimony regarding the delivery of funds or the return of a debt:
Presenting false testimony claiming that someone handed over money to someone else or returned a debt when the truth is otherwise.
False testimony of the witness’s presence at the crime scene:
Providing false testimony confirming that the witness was present at the crime scene or the subject of the case while he was absent.
False testimony regarding the delivery of funds or the return of a debt:
Presenting false testimony claiming that someone handed over money to someone else or returned a debt when the truth is otherwise.
False testimony of the witness’s presence at the crime scene:
Providing false testimony confirming that the witness was present at the crime scene or the subject of the case while he was absent.
What is the penalty for perjury?
False testimony, if proven against the witness, shall be punished with a discretionary penalty prescribed in accordance with what is stated in Article 166 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The false witness shall be punished either by imprisonment, a fine, or both, depending on what the judge deems appropriate in the case and the seriousness and heinousness of this crime.
Do you want to get legal advice before giving testimony or have you wanted to challenge testimony and want to know the correct procedures? Do not hesitate to consult a specialized lawyer from the office of Lawyer Abdul Majeed Al Rashid to assist and guide you to take appropriate action.
Challenging perjury
Challenging perjury
There are a number of appeals that can be filed in court to help invalidate witness testimony, as follows:
- Submitting important and influential questions in the witness’s testimony may cause the false witness to make mistakes and contradict himself, which shows the invalidity of the testimony.
- Show witnesses’ contradictions among themselves through questions and precise details.
- Highlighting places where testimony appears to be unreasonable or illogical, such as a child’s testimony of facts that only adults can control, etc.
- Searching for the interest of the witness that accrues to him from giving this testimony, because it may show that it brings benefit to himself or repels harm from himself, etc.
- Ensure that there is no marriage relationship between the witness and the witnessed person and ensure that there is no kinship relationship such as the relationship of children to grandparents or parents to children between the witness and the witnessed person, because it could affect the neutrality of the witness.
Filing a false testimony lawsuit
A lawsuit may be filed against a false witness before the criminal court or the Public Prosecution. A lawsuit may also be filed to claim compensation for damages resulting from false testimony if the false testimony is proven. False testimony may be proven through a judge’s statement after the court has studied the facts of the case and the documents or appeals submitted against the false testimony, or the witness’s statement of false testimony.
The legal procedure for dealing with false testimony
The criminal court refers the case to the Public Prosecution, and can issue a ruling on the false witness after hearing his statements, and other courts and departments can also refer the case to the criminal court or the Public Prosecution.
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