Law No. (24) of 2002 on prohibiting the use of other languages than Arabic in all transactions

Law No. (24) of 1369 FDP

on the prohibition of unauthorised use of other than the Arabic language in all transactions

The General People’s Congress:

• In execution of the resolutions adopted by the Basic People’s Congresses in their annual session of 1369 FDP and after perusal of the declaration of the Establishment of the Authority of the People.

And upon review of:

• The Great Green Charter of Human Rights of the Jamahiriya Era;
• Law No. (20) of 1991 AD on the promotion of freedom;
• Law No. (1) of 1369 FDP on People’s Conferences and People’s Committees;
• Law No. (36) of 1968 AD on civil status, and the amendments thereof;
• Law No. (12) of 1984 AD on the prohibition of unauthorised use of other than the Arabic language and Arabic numerals in all transactions;

the following law was drafted:

Article (1)

The use of other than the Arabic language in all transaction is forbidden, in particular:

1. Publications and correspondence.
2. Documents and documentation.
3. Writing on means of transport and other vehicles, buildings, roads, and any other location.
4. Signals, signs, announcements, and posters.
5. Names of streets and squares.
6. Medical prescriptions, with the exception of the name of the drug and type of illness.
7. Names of shops, administrative units, bodies, institutions, public or private legal persons, and all instruments of economic activity. All such entities shall settle their conditions in a manner consistent with the provisions of this law within a maximum period of six months from the date that it enters into effect.

Article (2)

The following cases are exempted from this law, when necessary:

1. Medical and scientific reports.
2. Foreign terms and vocabulary that have not been Arabised and for which no synonym exists in the Arabic language, provided that it is not possible to create an Arabic expression for them.
3. The principle of reciprocity.
4. Transactions that are renewed by a resolution from the General People’s Committee.

Article (3)

The use of non-Arabic, non-Islamic names is forbidden, along with Arabic names not sanctioned by Islam and names that have a particular significance that is not in accord with the spirit of Islam and the identity of the Libyan people. It is forbidden to record such names in records and documents of any type.

The names described in the previous paragraph shall be determined by a specialised committee tasked by the General People’s Committee.

Guardians of children who have not yet attained school age shall settle their conditions in a manner consistent with this article within a maximum period of one year from the date that this law enters into effect.

Article (4)

1. Anyone who violates Article (1) of this law shall be penalised with a fine of no less than five thousand LYD. The infliction of such penalty shall entail the cancellation of the license and closing the shop where the perpetrator conducts his activity, and his deprivation from obtaining a license to practice economic activities for a period of one year from the date of the ruling.

The violation shall be corrected by administrative means and at the expense of the perpetrator.

1. Anyone who violates Article (3) of this law shall be penalised with a fine of no less than one thousand LYD and not exceeding five thousand LYD. The infliction of such penalty shall entail deprivation from obtaining a passport, license, or other personal document. The perpetrator’s children who bear names contrary to this law shall be barred from registering in educational institutions, until the violation is corrected.

The penalty set forth in clause (2) of this article shall be doubled for an employee who registers facts contrary to Article (3) of this law in the Civil Status Registry.

Article (5)

The aforementioned Law No. (12) of 1984 shall be repealed, as shall any provision contrary to the provisions of this law.

Article (6)

This law shall enter into effect from its date of issuance, and it shall be published in the Legal Register.

General People’s Congress – Libya

Issued in Sirte

On: 14 Shawwal

Corresponding to: 28 December 1369 FDP