ALTHOUGH many question the effectiveness of any government-affiliated human rights body, the newly released report by the National Society for Human Rights leaves no doubt that a new chapter in the progress of human rights in Saudi Arabia has now begun. The National Society for Human Rights was established in 2004 by a royal decree and its organizational structure, functions and responsibilities are well-defined to ensure full implementation of values and principles of human rights. One of its guiding principles stresses the importance of promoting the concepts of human rights according to the international human rights standards. It is worth noting that the organization, in exercising its functions, is an independent government body that reports directly to the King himself. Throughout the past four years, the organization has received a total of twelve thousand complaints: 26 percent of these complaints were administrative in nature, 18 percent regarding prisoners and 8 percent were on family violence. Earlier this week, the organization had released its report for the year 2008 in which it blamed key ministries and government agencies for lack of cooperation with the human rights organization, inefficiency in carrying out their responsibilities and dire violations of basic human rights. The 100-page report has criticized the Shoura Council for not acting promptly on issues directly impacting the lives of people such as the burst of the Saudi Stock bubble three years ago and the rising prices of key goods and services thereafter. However, the report has hinted that this is largely because of the limited power enjoyed by the council. Remarkably enough, the report has suggested that members of the Shoura Council be selected by means of free elections instead of direct appointment. It has also asked for broadening the povers given to the Council to include other responsibilities such as monitoring the performance of all government agencies and holding people accountable for any misdeeds. Regarding the judicial system, the report hailed the commendable steps taken to reform the legal system in the Kingdom. But it criticized the slow-paced nature of these reforms citing certain reformist actions that need to be implemented right away such as training judges and opening up more courts in remote villages. The report has also called for more measures to be taken to ensure the full independence of the judicial system on the one hand and its development both qualitatively and quantitatively on the other one. Unlike men as well as women – the report indicates – are denied their rights to file a lawsuit or seek justice using legal channels. Access to these channels, the report suggests, should equally be guaranteed. The report has also slammed Ministry of Culture and Information for putting further restrictions on freedom of speech. The human rights body cited incidents such as disallowing a number of Op-Ed columnists from writing in their newspapers and preventing a newspaper, Al Hayat, from distribution inside the Kingdom for three days. The Ministry of Interior was among the government sectors which, although lately, reacts positively with the demands and requests of the organization regarding the numerous complaints that are filed by people against the Ministry and sent to the organization's offices. According to the report, there have been numerous violations of the laws and regulations regarding detainees in a number of detention centres. During their visits to these centres, the body's members have met several prisoners who complained of mistreatment at the hands of the security personnel. Victims of torture and mistreatment are denied medical check-up and violations against them are not normally investigated. The report has also indicated that a number of suspects are held for long periods without trial. Some of those prisoners have been detained for a very long time without being freed or referred to justice. Among those criticized in the report is the Commission for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice. The Commission, the report says, has illegally interrogated individuals, having them sign confession documents even without allowing them to read what was written against them and moving some suspects using the staff's personal cars instead of using the Commission's official ones. The report has also mentioned the death incidents that occurred in several cities in which the blame was squarely put on members of the virtue commission who, regardless of the restrictions and regulations that forbid such acts, have continued to engage in risky and reckless manhunt of suspects. The thrust of the report as well as its timing all reflects the determination of the Saudi leadership to raise awareness among people of the sanctity of the human rights and that the dignity of people should be preserved under all circumstances. Instead of belittling the significance of the report, these government bodies cited in the report should take concrete steps to reform themselves so that any future violations of human rights are prevented. – SG The writer can be reached at: [email protected] __
