"Saudi Religious
Institution" distributed publications against Shiites
Some members
of the so-called " Saudi Religious Institution "
center of Dammam distributed publications in
mosques before the celebrations of Ashra (the
martyrdom of Imam Hussain (AS) ) which holds all
types of hatred that has contributed to inflame the
sectarianism, and plant the seeds of sedition and
disunity among Muslim population of the Arabian
Peninsula. Those publications alleged that Shi'a are
planning to demolish the Grand Mosque in Mecca , the
Kaaba and the Prophetic Mosque in al-Maddina al-Munnawwarah,
under the command of Imam al-Mahdi who will kill all
those who refuse to submit to him accept Shiites...
Saudi Regime
Imposed Severe Restrictions on Ashura Observances in Al-Ahsa and Dammam
The Saudi
authorities imposed severe restrictions on public
observances of Ashura in al-Ahsa, Dammam during
these days of Ashura (commemoration of Imam
Hussain's death)...
U.N. watchdog
grills Saudi Arabia on women's rights
Saudi
Arabia, appearing for the first time before a U.N.
women's rights panel on Thursday, faced tough
questions over restrictions on "virtually every
aspect of a woman's life" in the kingdom...
Al Saud
Practice a Discriminative Sectarian Policy
The
Saudi regime is still refusing to recognize the
legitimate rights of Shi'a citizens in the Arabian
Peninsula, particularly the people of Eastern
Province where the Shi'a majority...
When
this right is violated, people innocent of any crime
face conviction, imprisonment and even execution.
The justice system itself loses credibility.
Amnesty
International works to promote human rights all over
the world. Unless human rights are upheld without
discrimination in the police station, the
interrogation room, the detention centre, the court
and the prison cell, the authorities have failed in
their duties and betrayed their responsibilities...
10 Basic Human Rights Standards for Law Enforcement
Officials
All governments are required to adopt the necessary
measures to instruct law enforcement officials,
during basic training and all subsequent training
and refresher courses, in the provisions of national
legislation in accordance with the UN Code of
Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials as well as
other basic international human rights standards
applicable to law enforcement officials...
Over the past decade widespread disregard for human
rights has caused one refugee crisis after another.
At the same time, the system devised to protect
refugees has fallen into disarray, with states
showing increasing reluctance to host refugees.
Every day governments are violating the principle of
non-refoulement, the fundamental basis of refugee
protection. UNHCR, the agency set up to guarantee
international protection for refugees, appears
unable to ensure that states fulfil even their
minimum obligations towards those forced to flee
their country...
Saudi Arabia: Sri Lankan
teenager faces beheading within days
A Sri Lankan teenager in Saudi Arabia
faces beheading within days after
being convicted of murder, despite
having had no legal representation at her trial and reportedly being
only 17 at the time of the alleged crime...
His Royal Highness King
Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud
The Committee to Protect
Journalists is writing to protest the continued detention of Fouad Ahmed
al-Farhan, a leading Saudi blogger who has been held without charge
since early December 2007...
Saudi Arabia: call for
'gang rape' lawyer to be spared punishment
Amnesty International has today called for
disciplinary measures against a Saudi Arabian lawyer who has defended a
rape victim in the country to be dropped...
Sarkozy Should Raise Human
Rights Issues in Saudi Arabia
French President Nicolas Sarkozy
should use his January 13-14 visit to Saudi Arabia to raise human rights
concerns with Saudi’s King Abdullah, Human Rights Watch said today. The
Saudi government denies its citizens basic rights to free speech,
assembly and association, commits abuses with impunity, and
systematically discriminates against migrant workers, women and
religious minorities...
Saudi Arabia: Lawyer must not
be punished for defending gang rape victim
The disciplinary measures
against Saudi Arabian lawyer Abdul Rahman al-Lahem must be dropped
immediately if they appear have been initiated solely because of his
legitimate activities in defending a rape victim who received a sentence
of 200 lashes and a prison term, Amnesty International said today...
A 19-year-old woman, known only
as "The Girl from al-Qatif", and at least five men, are at risk of
imminent flogging. Amnesty International believes that the use of
corporal punishment constitutes cruel, inhuman and degrading
punishment...
The
Committee For The Defense
Of Human Rights In The
Arabian Peninsula Annual Report 2007
The
Arabian Peninsula is a country ruled by an absolute
monarchy, in which the king is the highest judicial
authority, able to rule by decree.
The country
is governed according to the Basic Law, which sets
out the system of government, and it governs issues
not discussed in the Koran, but its authority is
subordinate to the monarchy and the religious
establishment...
Human rights conditions remain poor
in Saudi Arabia. International and domestic pressure to implement human rights
reforms have considerably weakened and the government undertook no major reforms
in 2007. Curbs on freedom of association and expression, unfair trials,
arbitrary detention, mistreatment and torture of detainees, restrictions on
freedom of movement, and lack of official accountability remain serious
concerns. Saudi law and policies discriminate against women, foreign workers,
and religious minorities, especially Shia and Ismaili Saudis...
The
country is a monarchy with a legal system based on
its interpretation of Shari'a (Islamic law). Islam
is the official religion. There is no legal
recognition of, or protection under the law for,
freedom of religion, and it is severely restricted
in practice. The Government confirmed that as a
matter of public policy it guarantees and protects
the right to private worship for all, including
non-Muslims who gather in homes for religious
services.
Saudi
Arabia is a destination country for men and women
trafficked for the purposes of involuntary servitude
and, to a lesser extent, commercial sexual
exploitation. Men and women from Bangladesh, India,
Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines,
Indonesia, Vietnam, Kenya, and Ethiopia voluntarily
travel to Saudi Arabia...
The
government continued with reform initiatives but
these had little impact in improving human rights.
There were new violations linked to the "war on
terror" and further clashes between security forces
and members of armed groups...
Overall human rights conditions remain poor in Saudi
Arabia, an absolute monarchy. Despite international
and domestic pressure to implement reforms, King
Abdullah has not met expectations of improvements
following his succession to the throne in August
2005. The government undertook no major human rights
reforms in 2006, and there were signs of backsliding
on issues of human rights defenders, freedom of
association, and freedom of expression...
