Saudi Arabia to Announce Freedom of Information Law

The Minister of Communications and Information Technology said in late August 2026 that a national Freedom of Information Law for Saudi Arabia will be announced in the near future. As of early September 2026, the law has not yet been formally issued; only the intention to introduce it has been publicly announced.

A separate Freedom of Information Policy is already in place and applied by ministries and public entities to "unprotected" public information. Under this policy at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, individuals have the right to request access to or obtain unprotected public information held by the ministry.

How to request information today

Requests can be submitted by filling out an electronic public information request form on the ministry's official website, or through an electronic public information request service offered via the ministry's open data and e-participation channels. The ministry's Public Data Unit must process each request within a maximum of 30 days and notify the applicant of approval, partial approval, rejection, or extension.

Once approval is issued and any applicable fees are paid, the information must be made available within 10 working days. Applicants may file a written or electronic complaint or appeal with the Public Data Unit within 10 working days of receiving a rejection or extension notice. Requests may be subject to a nominal fee.

The national framework allows every individual to request unprotected public information from government entities without needing a specific personal interest. It covers all forms of recorded unprotected information, regardless of medium. Protected categories that cannot be disclosed include national security information, confidential or personal data, intellectual property, and sensitive commercial or financial details. Separately, the ministry's Open Data service provides datasets for free reuse where no legal, financial, or technical restrictions apply.

For residents and expats, a formal law could strengthen the right to access public information and add clarity to how requests are handled across government bodies.

---

Stay updated with the latest news, events, sports updates, business insights, real estate and lifestyle stories on Saudi Living — the leading online platform for residents, expats, and visitors in Saudi Arabia.

Follow Saudi Living for daily updates:

• Instagram - @saudiliving
• X - @saudiliving
• Facebook - @saudiliving
• YouTube - @saudiliving