JEDDAH — The new Anti-Begging Law, approved recently by the Council of Ministers, penalizes all types of begging through social media platforms, according to legal sources. Begging for money for whatever reasons through online portals is prohibited, and the penalty for online begging is up to 6 months in prison and a fine of SR50,000, said prominent lawyer Kholoud Al-Ahmadi. The Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development are tasked to carry out the penalties, she said. Speaking to Okaz/Saudi Gazette, Al-Ahmadi shed light on the major features of the new law. She said that the law stipulated the deportation of non-Saudi beggar after serving the jail term and payment of the fine and he will not be allowed to return to the Kingdom for work. There will be an exemption from deportation for non-Saudi beggars who are wives or husbands of Saudis as well as for their children. Al-Ahmadi indicated that previously the provisions of the Anti-Begging Law was limited only to traditional begging. But the revised law considered begging for money through social media platforms as equal to traditional beggary. The law clarified that the penalty will be slapped on those who were arrested for practicing beggary for the second or more time. She said that the new law defined beggary as begging by a person to get money from others for free or for an unintended consideration and that is in cash or kind, directly or indirectly, in public places or private shops, or through the means of technology and modern communications, or by any means whatsoever. The second article of the law prohibits all forms and types of begging and stipulated that anyone who engages in begging or encourages others or agrees with them or helps them in any way to practice begging will be awarded with six months in prison or a fine not exceeding SR50,000 or of both. The penalty will be doubled if the practice of beggary is linked to an organized group, with imprisonment for a year or a fine of SR100,000 or both. Al-Ahmadi noted that the penalty may be doubled in the event of repeating the crime but not exceeding the maximum limit of one-year imprisonment and fines amounting to SR100,000. The fund collected in cash and kind from begging will be confiscated by a court ruling. In the event that the funds cannot be seized, a fine equivalent to their value shall be imposed, she added.
