Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The Ministry of Interior announced the regulations, procedures and restrictions regarding the display and use of the Saudi national flag.

In a statement on its X account issued on the occasion of the 95th National Day celebrations, the ministry stated that it is prohibited to use the national flag as part of a trademark or for commercial purposes, or for any purpose other than those stipulated in the Saudi Flag Law. No slogans, phrases, or drawings shall be printed on the flag.

The ministry emphasized the prohibition of raising the Saudi flag if it is faded or in poor condition. The flag should always be displayed in good condition and allowed to move freely on the flagpole.

The Saudi Flag Law governs the respectful handling of the Saudi national flag, which features the Shahada (Islamic declaration of the creed) and a sword. Key provisions include prohibiting the flag's use in a vertical position, prohibiting its display at half-mast due to the holy nature of the Shahada, and banning disrespectful use of the flag. Violators of the flag law shall face penalties, such as fines or jail term, especially for showing disrespect. The Saudi flag should never be displayed upside down under any circumstances, and its use in any manner that could dishonor it or cause it damage is prohibited.

The ministry noted that the flag should not be kept in an inappropriate place that would cause it to be damaged or untidy. It is not permitted to use the flag when it becomes obsolete. Such flags must be destroyed by the party using them. The flag must not be used as a tool to tie something or carry something, and it must not be placed or printed on the bodies of animals. The ministry noted that the flag should not be fastened or tied to the flagpole, but should always be free-flowing and unfurled.

People should refrain from decorating its edges or making any additions or embellishments to it in any way. The flag should never be raised upside down, regardless of the circumstances.

The national flag or the flag of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques should not touch anything below (ground, water, or a table). It is prohibited to place any logo on the national flag except in the case of the flag of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, where the Kingdom’s logo, which is two crossed swords topped by a palm tree, is placed in the lower corner adjacent to the flagpole.