4th session of UN Human Rights Council in Geneva:

Saudi Arabia asserts revision of universal declaration of human rights compatible with Islamic values

Saudi Arabia stresses efforts to advocate women, children’s rights, fight human trafficking

The Vice-President of the Saudi Human Rights Commission Zeid Al-Hussein has delivered a speech during the fourth session of the Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review Working Group which reviewed the Kingdom's report on human rights.

Al-Hussein said that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is not only an Islamic state, but it is also the cradle of Islam and its civilization, the land of the Two Holy Mosques and the destination of Muslims around the world. Therefore, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has to take care of Islam, perform its rituals and serve its sanctities.

From this perspective, the universal periodic review is in line with the guidance of Islam. The national report was prepared in accordance with Universal Periodic Review (UPR) guidelines, Al-Hussein added.

All Government authorities and civil society institutions in the Kingdom were fully involved in the report. One of the Kingdom’s main peculiarities is its rapid transformation from a tribal society, characterized by conflicts and widely dispersed and totally unconnected regions where people lived in isolation and forms of economic and educational backwardness, to an advanced phase of its political, economic, social and cultural life.

The religious particularities, as correctly viewed in Islam, supplement rather than undermine international human rights standards. Saudi Arabia derives its values from all sources provided that they are compatible with the objectives called for by the Islamic Shari’a, Al-Hussein said.

Islamic Shari'a pays special attention to the rights of vulnerable groups such as minorities and non-Muslims. The Sharia granted women extensive rights. The government of Saudi Arabia acknowledges that there are some human rights violations attributable to individual practices. Many of these violations fall within the context of domestic violence, he added.

During the past two years, great efforts have been made to bolster rights of children and women and promote the role of the family in the society.

Women’s awareness of their rights has been considerably increased in recent years through the social development centers, women’s associations and the National Society for Human Rights which has adopted a policy of disseminating and promoting a legal culture, in general, and women’s rights, in particular, he said.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia also sought to achieve a balance between requirements of the campaign against terrorism and the need to respect human rights. From the beginning of the terrorist problem in the Kingdom to the end of 2008, about $100 million in compensation had been paid to persons detained in terrorist cases and who were later found to be innocent, Al-Hussein added.

There are more than 1,000 other civil society institutions concerned with issues relating to the protection of human rights. Since the submission of the UPR national report, the Shoura (Consultative) Council approved a law governing the activities of these institutions and ensuring their fulfillment of their duties independently, he said.

In Islam, rights are derived from the Holy Quran and the Sunna of the Prophet, which constitute the source of all legislation and a comprehensive way of life in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, he added.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has adopted promising plans of human rights, which included the adoption of a comprehensive program sponsored by the Human Rights Commission and which included the participation of all governmental agencies and civil society, Al-Hussein said.

Like other States, Saudi Arabia was not exempt from certain manifestations of human trafficking and the Government was taking rigorous measures to combat such violations and had conducted numerous symposia and training courses have been held in collaboration with various local and international bodies, he added.

These endeavors culminated in the drafting of a Prevention of Human Trafficking Act designed to eradicate this phenomenon. The Saudi Human Right Commission is in close conformity with the Paris Principles and achieves its objectives within the limits of its mandate, he added.

Regarding not allowing the establishment of worship places for non-Muslims in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, we believe that Islam is the seal of religions and that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the cradle of Islam, the land of the Two Holy Mosques, the place where the Seal of Messengers was buried and the destination of 1.5 billion Muslims. Therefore, the religious particularities make it difficult to establish worship places in the Holy Land.

However, non-Muslims in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are completely ensured the freedom of worship and can practice the rituals of their religions in their own places.

In terms of freedom of religion and belief, the aims of the initiative of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for dialogue among followers of the predominant global religions and cultures were to promote mutual understanding among them; to highlight the beneficial aspects of these cultures; and to affirm the importance of common denominators and the need to use them to develop human civilization and pave the way for universal peace and harmony.

In conclusion, Al-Hussein said the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia appreciates the initiative taken by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in organizing a symposium in October 2007 on the difference between the freedom of expression and incitement of religious hatred.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia hopes that other steps would be taken as a follow-up to that symposium.

In keeping with the Kingdom’s legislation derived from the Islamic Shari’a which guarantees all rights, in the light of the Kingdom’s firm belief in the need to promote and give effect to human rights, and in view of the King’s sense of responsibility as Head of State, a governmental Human Rights Commission was established which reports directly to the King, in his capacity as Prime Minister, while retaining full autonomy in spite of being funded by the Government, in addition to donations, contributions, endowments and other resources the acceptance of which is subject to approval by the Commission’s Board. Its objective is to promote and protect human rights in accordance with international standards in this regard.

It is required to submit to the King an annual report on its performance of the functions assigned to it, as well as another report on the human rights situation in the Kingdom. It is the body responsible for promoting greater awareness of human rights in coordination with the governmental sectors concerned, and also for monitoring implementation of the conventions to which the Kingdom has acceded, and for receiving complaints and communications and taking the requisite action thereon.

Given the Kingdom’s belief that human rights are a universal human heritage to which all peoples are entitled, the Commission prepared a comprehensive plan for the dissemination and promotion of a culture of human rights in the obligatory implementation of which all the governmental agencies are participating since it covers all aspects of life, including education and health, etc.

While presenting this report, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia emphasizes its commitment to cooperate fully with every institution seeking to safeguard, promote and enhance human rights.

It is committed to the continuation and furtherance of purposeful and constructive dialogue at all levels, believing that this will guarantee the promotion and propagation of these rights among all mankind in accordance with the words of Almighty God: “And indeed we have honored the sons of Adam” (verse 70 of the chapter of the Holy Quran entitled “The Night Journey”); “God commands you to render back your trusts to those to whom they are due; and, when you judge between people, judge with justice” (verse 58 of the chapter entitled “Women”).

“O Mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord who created you from a single person” (verse 1 of the chapter entitled “Women”.

Since 1992 the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has witnessed further human rights-related reforms, culminating in the promulgation of the Basic Law of Governance and updating of the Statutes of the Regions and the Consultative Council. The Basic Law of Governance is the Kingdom’s constitutional framework. The pace of these reforms increased with the promulgation of numerous laws consistent with the international instruments to which the Kingdom has acceded. A number of national structures, institutions and bodies including, in particular, the governmental Human Rights Commission, were also established to monitor and give effect to human rights at the highest national levels.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has also promoted and protected human rights through the promulgation of numerous new laws and the amendment of existing laws in a manner consistent with the obligations ensuing from its accession to various international conventions. These new and amended laws incorporate numerous positive additions needed to supplement the legislative and regulatory structure and ensure the enjoyment of human rights through, inter alia, the achievement of equality and measures to combat any manifestation of segregation or discrimination.

During the three-hour interactive discussion delegations noted a number of positive achievements of the State under review.

These included the measures taken to improve the rights of women in society; the creation of the National Human Rights Commission; the progress achieved in improving the health infrastructure; progress made in the right to adequate housing and the establishment of a housing development fund; recent developments in immigration and labor laws; development and relief assistance efforts; the democratic progress achieved; efforts to uphold the rights of migrant workers; the accession to international human rights instruments as regard the rights of children; the leading role played by Saudi Arabia in encouraging dialogue among civilizations; and the setting up of the National Society for Human Rights.

The 49-person delegation of Saudi Arabia consisted of representatives of the Human Rights Commission of Saudi Arabia, the Kind Abdulaziz Centre for National Dialogue, the Council of Ministers Panel of Experts, the Ministry of Social Affairs, the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, the Ministry of Labor, the Public Investigation and Prosecution Department, the King Abdulaziz National Guard Medical City, the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Ministry of Higher Education/King Saud University, the Consultative Council, the Women’s Al-Nahda Association, the Thaqif Charitable Association, the Al-Wafa Charitable Association, the Public Relations Department, the Office of the Vice-President, the Department of International Organizations and Relations, the Office of the Vice-President and the Permanent Mission of Saudi Arabia to the United Nations Office at Geneva.

Members States taking the floor during the interactive discussion were the Russian Federation, Egypt, Qatar, Jordan, Malaysia, France, China, Azerbaijan, Cuba, the United Kingdom, Pakistan, Mexico, Slovenia, Djibouti, Saudi Arabia, India, Ghana, Japan, the Netherlands, South Africa, Indonesia, Italy, Brazil, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Argentina, Canada, Senegal and Chile.

Observer States participating in the discussion were Liechtenstein, Poland, Iran, Finland, Algeria, Turkey, Hungary, Benin, Spain, Colombia, Burundi, Ecuador, Palestine, New Zealand, Morocco, Chad, Belgium and Australia.

The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a unique process which involves a review of the human rights records of all 192 UN Member States once every four years. The UPR is a State-driven process, under the auspices of the Human Rights Council, which provides the opportunity for each State to declare what actions they have taken to improve the human rights situations in their countries and to fulfill their human rights obligations. As one of the main features of the Council, the UPR is designed to ensure equal treatment for every country when their human rights situations are assessed.

The UPR was created through the UN General Assembly on 15 March 2006 by resolution 60/251, which established the Human Rights Council itself. It is a cooperative process which, by 2011, will have reviewed the human rights records of every country. Currently, no other universal mechanism of this kind exists. The UPR is one of the key elements of the new Council which reminds States of their responsibility to fully respect and implement all human rights and fundamental freedoms. The ultimate aim of this new mechanism is to improve the human rights situation in all countries and address human rights violations wherever they occur.

Kuwait has commended the efforts made by the Kingdom for enhancing and protecting human rights.

Advisor Najeeb Al-Badr, Head of Kuwaiti Delegation to the UN and International Organizations in Geneva, gave a speech in which he lauded the developing human rights situation in the Kingdom.

Al-Badr said that “The Universal Periodic Review of Saudi Arabia at the UN Human Rights Council shows the enormous efforts being exerted in this regard and the determination to preserve and protect basic freedoms and human rights in the kingdom".

He also hailed the mechanism with which the Saudi Human Rights Report was presented.