RIYADH: The Shoura Council is today scheduled to discuss proposed amendments to several articles of the Anti-Information Crimes Law issued by Royal Decree No. (M/17) dated 8/8/1428.
The proposed amendments are contained in a report by the Committee on Transport, Communications and Information Technology, local media reported.
The amendments include the addition of a penalty for the use of information services in any form of abuse toward a person or a public institution, which will be considered a crime of defamation.
Punishment for the perpetrator will be a fine of not more than SR5,000 ($1,333) and imprisonment for a period of not more than one year.
The same punishment would also be imposed on those disclosing information of individuals or institutions, or disclosing ways to access information in any manner.
In its recommendation to the Shoura Council, the committee requested the amendment of some articles to limit the incidence of informatics crimes.
Modifying some articles of the law aims to keep abreast of the rapid developments witnessed by the technology sector and its various means and applications.
Fayez Al-Aziz Al-Harqan, and former council members Awad Al-Asmari and Jibril Arishi, who submitted amendments to the law, stressed that practical application of the law and technical developments proved that there was an urgent need to amend and add new materials to the Anti-Information Crimes Law.
The proponents attributed the proposal to the technical developments that followed the issuance of the law, the emergence of new forms of misuse of technology and networks, and the imbalance between the materials and the crimes that emerged as a result of the tremendous development of technology and its uses.
They stressed the importance of introducing changes to the overall objectives of the law, noting the misuse of electronic media at the levels of individuals and institutions.
Saudi Shoura to discuss proposed amendments to Anti-Information Crimes Law
Saudi Shoura to discuss proposed amendments to Anti-Information Crimes Law
Alwaleed Philanthropies allocates $15 million for global polio eradication efforts
- The new contribution will support frontline vaccination campaigns, disease surveillance and rapid outbreak response over three years
DAVOS: Alwaleed Philanthropies, chaired by Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Al-Saud, renewed its commitment to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative on Thursday with a $15 million contribution during the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026 in Davos, Switzerland.
The announcement was made by Princess Lamia Bint Majed Al-Saud, secretary general of Alwaleed Philanthropies, and Bill Gates, chair of the Gates Foundation.
The new contribution will support frontline vaccination campaigns, disease surveillance and rapid outbreak response over three years, helping the program reach children in vulnerable and conflict-ravaged areas through the Gates Philanthropy partners.
The donation comes at a pivotal moment for the global effort to end polio, as the program intensifies operations in the last remaining endemic countries and responds to outbreaks worldwide.
With cases of wild poliovirus now confined to just two countries — Afghanistan and Pakistan — sustained political leadership and financing remain essential to protect hard-won gains and ensure that no child is left behind.
The princess said the contribution “builds on Alwaleed Philanthropies’ long-standing support for global health and its partnership with the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, reinforcing the critical role of philanthropy in addressing some of the world’s most complex public health challenges.”
Gates said that polio eradication “is within sight, but the last mile is the hardest.” He added: “Alwaleed Philanthropies’ latest commitment is exactly the kind of leadership the world needs to build a future where no family has to live in fear of polio paralyzing their child.”
Mike McGovern, chair of the Polio Oversight Board, said sustained support enables organizations to reach children in vulnerable and remote communities and to preserve the progress made over the past four decades.
Launched in 1988, the GPEI, led by national governments and supported by its core partners, has reduced polio cases by more than 99 percent and protected over 20 million people from paralysis.
The World Health Organization and UNICEF play a leading role, working alongside governments and communities to sustain access, build trust and ensure that polio eradication efforts reach the most vulnerable children.
