Introduction
The Public Prosecution (Arabic: Al-Niyaba Al-Amma, النيابة العامة) is Saudi Arabia's public prosecutor's office — the judicial authority that investigates crimes, brings charges, and represents society before the criminal courts. If you have read Saudi news about arrests, indictments, or major trials, the Public Prosecution was almost certainly involved somewhere in the process.
The institution took its current form in June 2017, when a royal order renamed the old Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution (Hay'at al-Tahqiq wa al-Iddiya' al-Am) and attached the new body directly to the King rather than the Ministry of Interior. That change was meant to underline its judicial independence: prosecutors are members of the judicial authority, with legal protections similar to judges, and they cannot be dismissed arbitrarily. The office is headed by the Attorney General (Al-Na'ib al-Am), who holds the rank of minister and is appointed by royal order.
Role and Powers of the Public Prosecution
Under Saudi Arabia's Law of Criminal Procedure (Nizam al-Ijra'at al-Jaza'iyya), the Public Prosecution's core job is to conduct criminal investigation (tahqiq), bring charges (ittiham), and prosecute cases (mudaa'a) before the courts. In practice, that means receiving case files from police and other investigation bodies, questioning suspects, ordering or ending pre-trial detention within legal time limits, and deciding whether the evidence supports a trial.
Its powers reach further than the courtroom. The Public Prosecution inspects prisons and detention centers to confirm that custody is lawful, supervises the implementation of criminal judgments, and handles international judicial cooperation such as extradition requests and mutual legal assistance. It can also appeal verdicts, which makes it a party on both sides of many high-profile cases: it prosecutes, then challenges judgments it considers too lenient or legally flawed.
Over the past decade the office has built specialized circuits for areas such as financial and economic crimes, cybercrime, narcotics, family and juvenile cases, and environmental violations — the latter created after a 2021 decision gave the prosecution responsibility for investigating environmental crimes. Saudi Arabia's anti-corruption authority, Nazaha, investigates graft administratively, but corruption cases that go to criminal court are prosecuted by the Public Prosecution.
Structure: Attorney General, Deputies, and Members
The Attorney General sits at the top of a single national hierarchy. Below him are a deputy attorney general, assistant attorneys general, and hundreds of "members of the prosecution" (a'da al-niyaba) — the Saudi equivalent of public prosecutors — distributed across branches in every region of the Kingdom. Major cities host several branches, and specialized circuits sit alongside the regional structure.
Members of the prosecution enjoy statutory independence: under the public prosecution law they are subject only to the law in their work, and their appointment, promotion, discipline, and dismissal follow judicial rules rather than ordinary civil-service procedures. This matters because prosecutors routinely make decisions that affect liberty — approving arrests, extending detention, or releasing suspects.
The Attorney General also issues binding administrative decisions that shape policing. Under Article 112 of the Law of Criminal Procedure, for example, the Attorney General determines — in agreement with the Ministry of Interior and the Presidency of State Security — which offenses count as "major crimes requiring arrest", and those decisions are published in Umm Al-Qura, the official gazette.
How a Case Reaches the Prosecution
A criminal case usually starts with a complaint. Victims can report crimes at police stations, through the 911 emergency number in major regions (999 in others), or through the Kollona Amn ("We Are All Security") smartphone app for non-emergency reports. Commercial fraud, cybercrime, drugs, and customs violations may also arrive from specialized agencies such as the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority or the Saudi Food and Drug Authority.
Police and other investigation bodies collect initial evidence and refer the file to the Public Prosecution when the case falls within its jurisdiction. Prosecutors then question the suspect, review the evidence, and choose one of three paths: close the file for lack of evidence, resolve minor cases through settlement or reconciliation where the law allows, or issue an indictment and refer the accused to the competent criminal court.
Pre-trial detention is time-limited by law and must be renewed through escalating approvals, ending with court oversight rather than open-ended prosecutorial orders. Once a case reaches court, hearings increasingly run through Najiz, the Ministry of Justice's digital services portal, which lets parties track cases, receive notices, and attend some sessions remotely. Residents dealing with everyday paperwork often meet the justice system through platforms such as Absher and the national single sign-on service Nafath, which also authenticate many prosecution and court e-services.
The Attorney General Today
Sheikh Saud bin Abdullah Al-Mujib became the first head of the restructured Public Prosecution in June 2017 and served for nearly nine years, a period that included high-profile corruption cases, the Jamal Khashoggi murder trial, and a rapid digitization of prosecution services. In February 2026, royal orders appointed him an adviser to the Royal Court and named Dr. Khalid bin Mohammed Al-Yousef — previously president of the Board of Grievances, the administrative judiciary — as the new Attorney General with the rank of minister.
The handover took place publicly in mid-February 2026, with the new Attorney General pledging to continue developing the prosecution's institutional performance and legal competencies. Because senior appointments can change at any time by royal order, confirm the current officeholder through the Saudi Press Agency or the official gazette before citing it in formal documents. For a broader picture of everyday legal and administrative life in the Kingdom, see our guides to Saudi labor law, the iqama residence permit, and social insurance (GOSI).
Sources
- Saudi Press Agency — official state wire; royal orders and senior appointment announcements.
- Okaz — profile of Attorney General Dr. Khalid Al-Yousef after his 2026 appointment (Arabic).
- Umm Al-Qura — the official gazette that publishes Saudi laws and decisions.
- Ministry of Justice — Saudi courts and the Najiz digital justice services.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Saudi Public Prosecution?
The Public Prosecution (Al-Niyaba Al-Amma) is the Kingdom's public prosecutor's office. It investigates crimes, issues indictments, prosecutes accused persons before criminal courts, supervises the legality of detention, and handles international judicial cooperation.
Is the Public Prosecution independent from the police?
Yes, structurally. Since June 2017 it has been a judicial authority linked directly to the King rather than the Ministry of Interior, and its prosecutors hold judicial-style protections. Police gather evidence and refer cases; prosecutors decide whether they go to court.
How do I file a criminal complaint in Saudi Arabia?
Report at a police station, call 911 in major regions (999 elsewhere), or use the Kollona Amn app for non-emergencies. Police refer qualifying cases to the Public Prosecution, and you can follow many case services through the Najiz portal.
Who is the Attorney General of Saudi Arabia?
As of July 2026, the Attorney General is Dr. Khalid bin Mohammed Al-Yousef, appointed by royal order in February 2026. He succeeded Sheikh Saud bin Abdullah Al-Mujib, who had led the institution since 2017.
What is the difference between public and private criminal claims?
Public claims (haqq amm) are brought by the Public Prosecution on behalf of society in crimes that affect public order. Private claims (haqq khass) belong to the victim or their heirs, who may pursue, settle, or waive them; some cases involve both tracks at once.