Geneva — The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia emphasized that the world community has now become involved more than any time before in tackling the phenomenon of violence, religious fanaticism, extremism and hatred among nations and peoples. In a speech before the Human Rights Council's 22nd session in Geneva today, Dr. Bandar Bin Mohammed Al-Aiban, President of Saudi Arabia's Human Rights Council, underscored the importance of the initiative of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah for dialogue among the followers of religions and cultures. Dr. Al-Aiban, who leads Saudi Arabia's delegation to the session, said the efforts of the Saudi monarch were crowned with the opening of the King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz International Center in Vienna in November 2012 aiming at rejecting zealotry, spreading the culture of tolerance and co-existence, respect of cultural and religious diversification, and promotion of humanitarian dialogue seeking to draw the common factors among human races, cultures and beliefs. Saudi Arabia also reiterated its call for the issuance of a UN resolution criminating whoever defames divine religions, prophets and messengers and enacting the relative tough punitive measures against them. In this regard, Al-Aiban drew the attention of the world human rights advocates that the Palestinian people are still suffering from the lack of a sovereign independent state. He voiced his country's well-known position calling for the activation of the UN pertinent resolutions on the Palestinian issue, including the call to enable the Palestinian people have an independent state with Al-Quds as its capital, lift of the siege, stop the settlements, and release prisoners from Israeli jails. On Syria, the Saudi representative told representatives of world legal organizations that the continuation of the tragic situation for more than two years in Syria is an ethical and humanitarian challenge for the international community. Al-Aiban gave an account on Saudi Arabia's human rights policy, emanating from the enforcement of Islamic Sharia law which guarantees the rights of all people, the duty of the state to protect them and enhance the principles of justice for patriots and expatriates. Saudi Arabia's judicial system is an independent authority that respects the rights and guarantees the freedom of everybody in the country, Al-Aiban said, highlighting the principles of prosecution and litigation, and ways of settling disputes through amicable practices and in court. Dr. Al-Aiban highlighted the recent measure taken by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to enhance the participation of women in the Saudi society, citing the appointment of 30 female members in the Shura Council, and securing their right to vote and run for membership of municipal councils. He said Saudi Arabia is using its financial and economic resources for the interest of its people, citing the vast expenditure on education, health, social services, housing, and specialized development funds in the last State's budget. He confirmed the keenness of the Kingdom on increasing its volunteer donation practice to help developing countries overcome economic difficulties, emanating from its belief in the role it was playing in enhancing and protecting human rights. — SPA
