Umm al-Qura, the official gazette of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, published the bylaw on the powers of the Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority (Nazaha) in applying the provisions of the Criminal Procedure Law, its executive regulations, and the Public Prosecution Law, on 10 February 1448 AH, corresponding to 24 July 2026, and it comes into effect as of the date of its publication.

Chapter One: General Provisions

The bylaw, in its first article, defines key terms and definitions. The Authority is defined as the Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority, the Unit as the Investigation and Criminal Prosecution Unit, the Investigator as a member of the Unit who conducts criminal investigation into corruption crimes, and the Public Prosecutor as a member of the Unit who undertakes criminal prosecution for those crimes.

Article Two clarifies that the bylaw aims to specify the detailed powers and provisions for the Authority's application of the Criminal Procedure Law, its executive regulations, and the Public Prosecution Law to corruption crimes.

Article Three states that the Authority applies all provisions of the Criminal Procedure Law and its executive regulations during the stages of investigation, inquiry, and trial. The criminal investigation officer, investigator, and public prosecutor shall have the powers stipulated for each. The President shall have the same powers as the Public Prosecutor stipulated in the Criminal Procedure Law.

Chapter Two: Powers Stipulated in the Criminal Procedure Law and Its Executive Regulations

This chapter includes a set of powers distributed among different leadership levels within the Authority, most notably:

- Article Four: Criminal investigation officers in the Authority or elsewhere are subject to the supervision of the Investigation and Criminal Prosecution Unit regarding their work on corruption crimes. The Unit may request the initiation of disciplinary proceedings against anyone who violates their duties.

- Article Five: The Head of Department or Head of Branch shall accept or reject a request to recuse an investigator from the investigation.

- Article Six: The Head of Department or Head of Branch shall issue an order to search residences in accordance with the executive regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law.

- Article Eight: The Head of Department or Head of Branch shall send a request to seize and freeze funds and balances held by banks to the Saudi Central Bank during the investigation stage.

- Article Eighteen: The Head of Department or Head of Branch shall issue an order for the release of the accused or to extend their detention for a period or successive periods not exceeding a total of 40 days from the date of arrest. In cases requiring longer detention, the matter is referred to the President.

- Article Nineteen: The ratification of orders to close the case and release the detained accused rests with the Head of Department or Head of Branch, except in major crimes, where the order is not effective unless ratified by the President.

Chapter Three: Powers Stipulated in the Public Prosecution Law

Article Twenty allows the Head of Department or Head of Branch to warn their subordinate members regarding any violation of their duties, either orally or in writing, while granting the unit member the right to object within 15 days from the date of notification. A committee shall be formed to consider the objection, chaired by the President of the Authority or the Head of the Unit.

Chapter Four: Final Provisions

Article Twenty-One stipulates that the bylaw shall be published in the official gazette and shall come into effect from the date of its publication.