Doctors who forge the medical reports of psychiatric patients with the aim of either wrongfully admitting or discharging them from hospital will be fined SR200,000 and jailed for two years.

These terms of punishment were approved in a recent psychiatric health care act passed by the Saudi Council of Ministers.

Anyone who forges reports to admit patients who are not worthy of admission will also face punitive action, said sources.

The new law states that individuals with behavioral problems, such as alcohol or substance abuse, or patients who suffer from mental retardation are not to be considered psychiatric patients.

The new law also states that guardians of psychiatric patients who are found guilty of abuse or neglect will face a SR25,000 fine and a one-year prison term or a three-year prison term if the abuse leads to illness or injury.

Individuals who help psychiatric patients run away face a six-month prison term and fine of SR50,000, while doctors who breach doctor-patient confidentiality are liable to pay a fine of SR50,000 and serve a three-month prison term.