Some members of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (Hai'a) violate religious teachings when they abuse the rights of citizens. They act under the distorted principle that every individual is guilty until proven innocent and disregard the universal principle that every individual is innocent until proven guilty. They want to impose aberrant customs and traditions and refuse to respect people who wish to adopt a more modern lifestyle labeling it as un-Islamic. There is growing public frustration over the inability to control the continued violations by Hai'a staff members. Some incidents are reported by the media, but many others are never revealed because people are either afraid to report them or are unaware of their rights. The government has issued reassurances and officials in the Ministry of Justice have been promising to curb the authority of Hai'a staff members. In some cases a few have been publicly reprimanded or given mild sentences, however, the violations still continue and people have died and some have been injured and abused. Last week in Baha a citizen was killed and his wife and two children were injured when their car, which was reportedly being chased by a Hai'a patrol vehicle, fell off an under-construction bridge. The woman, who is five months pregnant, sustained severe contusions and abrasions, and the couple's son is in hospital in critical condition. The deceased's brother said the family were picnicking at a park, when they were approached by a member of the Hai'a staff who complained that their car stereo was too loud. The deceased and the Hai'a staffer argued for a while and when the family left, a Hai'a commission vehicle chased the family car until it got to the bridge. How long does Saudi society have to suffer before serious action is taken to limit Hai'a operations so that innocent citizens, who may not be aware of their rights, can live in dignity and have the freedom to choose their way of life? According to a recent study released by the National Society for Human Rights, 94 percent of Saudi citizens do not have any knowledge of human rights laws and 50 percent believe that the spread of the culture of human rights is very weak in Saudi Arabia. Moreover, another study has shown that 40 percent of violence victims are unwilling to lodge a complaint to human rights authorities and 53 percent do not resort to any concerned authority after being subjected to violence. The concept of human rights has been an issue of great concern for human rights advocates in Saudi Arabia for some time. It is very unfortunate that not many Saudis are aware of their rights and responsibilities, and as a result there is little respect for law and order. Traffic laws are broken, financial rights abused, citizen's rights violated, children's rights neglected and women's rights go unrecognized. Saudi researchers conclude that the lack of public awareness about human rights is the main problem behind the continued violations against the basic rights of the ordinary citizen living in Saudi Arabia today. There is a dire need to educate the members of the public and spread awareness about their rights. There is a need to put into action a plan that would honor the rights of citizens and protect them from further abuse. The media should be encouraged to address the subject and not be criticized for doing so. The subject should be introduced in schools and debates should be held to raise awareness and correct misconceptions about Islamic principles that have been negatively imposed. It is our responsibility to clear up the distorted interpretations and address the mistakes prevalent in religious discourse. It is no longer acceptable for hardliners to take advantage of the ignorance of innocent people and impose their extreme doctrine on law abiding citizens who do not violate Islamic principles but do not agree with the restrictions of Hai'a regulations. – Samar Fatany is a radio broadcaster and writer. She can be reached at [email protected]
