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ACPRA Calls for Establishing a Fact-Finding Committee to Investigate Human Right Abuses in Saudi Arabia: We (The Saudi Civil and Political Rights Activists) Call for Establishing a Fact-Finding Committee to Investigate Human Right Violations by the Saudi Interior Ministry For the Following Three Reasons:
First, they (the violations) are systematic and amount to crimes against humanity.
Second, they rely on distorted religious texts that legitimize injustice, despotism, torture, backwardness, inequality, and repressing plurality.
Third, these abusive practices are one of the leading causes of the domestic and international terrorism, especially the tragic events of September 11th, 2001. More. . . in English in Arabic
Human Rights First Society (HRFS) serves a very important function working as a non-governmental organization (NGO) in Saudi Arabia to monitor reported human rights abuses and advocate for the victims. HRFS uses all peaceful means to advocate that the Saudi government respects and defends all human rights. More…
Human Rights First Society (HRFS) has two Websites Arabic Site: http://www.anhri.net/saudi/spdhr/ English site: http://hrfssaudiarabia.org/
HRFS Official Arabic Website http://www.anhri.net/saudi/spdhr/ Blocked in Saudi Arabia. HRFS statements, positions on different HR issues and events in Saudi Arabia and elsewhere are part of this website. This web page, which is hosted by our colleagues ANHRI in Cairo, has been blocked in Saudi Arabia since 2003.
HRFS Statements and Letters regarding SA and International Human Rights Issues may be found at HRFS Statements.
Human Rights Watch Country Report on Saudi Arabia – Events of 2009 : Issued January 2010 Human rights conditions remain poor in Saudi Arabia. In February 2009 King Abdullah replaced conservatives in the religious establishment, judiciary, and education system with more progressive-minded officials, but domestic and international pressure to improve human rights practices is feeble. Authorities continue to systematically suppress, or fail to protect, the rights of fourteen million Saudi women and girls, eight million foreign workers, and some two million Shia. Thousands of people have received unfair trials or were subject to arbitrary detention. Curbs on freedom of association, expression, and movement, as well as a pervasive lack of official accountability, remain serious concerns. In May the government cancelled scheduled municipal elections. More… in English in Arabic
HRW Press Release Libya: Stop Blocking Independent Web Sites February 3, 2010 (New York) – Libya’s moves in late January, 2010, to block access to at least seven independent and opposition Libyan web sites based abroad and to YouTube is a disturbing step away from press freedom, Human Rights Watch said today. The government should restore web site access immediately, Human Rights Watch said. “Libya can stick its head in the sand and try to block the free flow of electronic information to its citizens, but the good news is we all know they’ll fail,” said Whitson. “Whether in China or Saudi Arabia or Libya, citizens will always find ways to exchange knowledge and information, with or without their government’s consent.” HRFS’ Official Arabic Website http://www.anhri.net/saudi/spdhr/ which is hosted by our colleagues ANHRI in Cairo has been blocked in Saudi Arabia since 2003. More… in English in Arabic
In Furtherance of the Misuse of the Threat of Terrorism; Yemeni Human Rights Defender to Serve Eight Year Prison Term, in a Grave Abuse of his Rights Press Release February 4, 2010 Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies : The Yemeni authorities are increasingly taking retaliatory measures against human rights defenders who have the courage to expose human rights abuses in the country, both those occurring in the context of the war in Saada in the north and those accompanying the repression of social and political ferment in the south. HRFS is one of many human rights organizations (list) that wish to express their grave concern about the worrisome deterioration of the state of human rights in Yemen. More… in English in Arabic
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL DEATH SENTENCES COULD BE REINSTATED January 21, 2010: Mohamed Kohailand Mehanna Sa’d’s death sentences were revoked by the Supreme Court on 9 January 2010, and the case has been sent to a court in the city of Jeddah for a retrial. If the court convicts them once again, they could have their sentences of death reimposed. The two men remain in detention. PLEASE WRITE IMMEDIATELY: Urging the authorities to grant Mohamed Kohail, Mehanna Sa’d and Sultan Kohail fair trials and asking the authorities to guarantee that 18-year-old Sultan Kohail will not be sentenced to death for a crime he allegedly committed as a juvenile. . . More…
SAUDI ARABIA MUST PREVENT FLOGGING OF TEENAGE GIRL January 22, 2010: Amnesty International has urged the Saudi Arabian authorities not to carry out the public flogging of a 13-year-old girl charged with assaulting a teacher at her school. The teenager will reportedly receive 90 lashes in front of her classmates, as well as a two-month prison sentence, following her conviction at a court in the city of Jubail on Tuesday. More… in English
UN experts issue extensive global study on secret detention linked to counter-terrorism GENEVA (26 January 1010) – The two independent UN experts on counter-terrorism and torture, and two UN expert bodies on arbitrary detention and enforced or involuntary disappearances* issued a wide-ranging study Tuesday on states’ use of secret detention in connection with counter-terrorism activities. The 222-page joint study, while stressing that it is “not exhaustive,” lists a total of 66 states (including Saudi Arabia.) Some are mentioned in the context of a historical analysis of secret detention practices prior to 11 September 2001, but most in connection with secret detention and related activities – including so-called ‘proxy detention’ and ‘rendition’ or ‘extraordinary rendition’ – over the past nine years of the “Global War on Terror.” More… Complete report.
US: A Big Step Toward Online Freedom by Arvind Ganesan January 22, 2010 In a groundbreaking speech Secretary of State Hillary Clinton reset U.S. policy on Internet freedom, emphasizing the vital need for governments, companies and technology providers to ensure that the World Wide Web is a force for human rights. Of course, the real test will come in how the Obama administration puts the new policy into practice. Clinton named and shamed not only the usual Internet suspects such as China and Vietnam, but U.S. allies Egypt and Saudi Arabia – the first for arresting bloggers, the second for censoring religious speech. More…
Internet Freedom: The prepared text of U.S. of Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s speech, delivered at the Newseum in Washington, D.C. JANUARY 21, 2010 Read full text.
Amnesty International Press Release January 20, 2010 Egypt: two doctors sentenced to flogging in Saudi Arabia – pardoned: Two Egyptian doctors, Raouf Amin al-Arabi and Shawqi Abd Rabbuh, who were sentenced to prison and lashes in Saudi Arabia, returned to Egypt on 24 December 2009 after being pardoned by Saudi Arabia’s head of state, King ‘Abdullah bin ‘Abdul ‘Aziz al-Saud. The royal amnesty came after a meeting between King ‘Abdullah and President Hosni Mubarak in Riyadh on 22 December 2009. The sentences were handed down to Raouf Amin al-Arabi, aged 52, and Shawqi Abd Rabbuh, aged 49, by a court in Jeddah in November 2007. However, very little information was made public about their case, and they were believed to have been convicted and sentenced following an unfair trial. More… in English
Provocation of Shiites January 3, 2010 Human Rights First Society demands the Saudi government stop all provocation of Shiites in the cities and villages of Qatif. Release in Arabic
Arrests of Human Rights Activits January 2, 2010 Mr. Khaled Al-Omair and Mr. Mohamed Al-Otaibi, arrested on January 1, 2009, remain imprisoned for seven months following the decision that they be released for lack of evidence. Human Rights First Society demands their immediate and unconditional release and considers them human rights activists. Release in Arabic
Insults to Shea Cleric January 2, 2010 HRFS calls for charging Aloraifi for insults to Shea Cleric Ayatollah Sistani. Release in Arabic
Immediate and Unconditional Release of Sheikh January 1, 2010 Human Rights First Society (HRFS) calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Sheikh Suleiman Bin Ibrahim Al-Rushudi and the rest of his colleagues who have been imprisoned in Jeddah for three years without trial . Release in Arabic
Human Rights Watch (HRW): Saudi Arabia: Grant Permission to Canadian-Indian Woman to Leave Saudi Arabia Immediately – Woman Forced to Stay in Saudi Arabia Against Her Will January 19, 2010. Ms. Quazi’s case is outlined in a HRW letter to Dr. Bandar al-‘Iban, Chairman of the Human Rights Commission. More…
Human Rights Watch (HRW): January 19, 2010 Letter to Canadian Embassy in Riyadh - Woman forced to stay in Saudi Arabia against her will. More…
United Nations: 19 January 2010 The Committee on Elimination of Discrimination Against Women Meets with Ngos to Discuss Strengthening Engagement. The Committee on Elimination of Discrimination against Women met with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in order to discuss ways of strengthening NGO engagement with the Committee in the context of its work. The Committee plans to adopt a public statement on its relationship with NGOs during the current session. More…
Saudi Arabia: Criminal Justice Strengthened Shura Council Approves Legal Aid Program – Human Rights Watch News: January 14, 2010 (New York) – Saudi Arabia’s appointed Shura Council has approved establishing a public defender program, a step that will strengthen the criminal justice system, Human Rights Watch said today. The program approved by the council on January 11, 2010 will appoint a lawyer at the state’s expense to any criminal defendant who cannot afford one. More… in Arabic in English
Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies Press release January 10, 2010 Grave developments in Tunisia threaten the lives of human rights defenders Arab human rights organizations wish to express their condemnation and profound contempt for the smear campaigns launched against prominent Tunisian human rights defenders. These human rights organizations, including Human Rights First Society (HRFS) declare their solidarity with human rights defenders in Tunisia, and they place full responsibility for these smear campaigns with the Tunisian authorities. They are urging the Tunisian authorities to take immediate measures to stop the smear campaigns, which, with the claims of treason, constitute a grave breach of journalistic ethics and freedom of expression. The authorities must end all forms of abuse of against human rights defenders and Tunisian human rights organizations. More… in Arabic in English
Saudi rights NGOs write to king about jailed activist January 4, 2010: RIYADH (Reuters)- A Saudi human rights group has sent an open letter to King Abdullah complaining about what it called the “brutal torture” of a prominent septuagenarian rights activist,(Former) Judge Suliman Al-Reshoudi and demanding the release of other detained activists. More…
Amnesty International Press Release: 14 December 2009 Saudi Arabia: 75-year-old woman faces 40 lashes. The Saudi Arabian authorities must not carry out the imminent flogging and imprisonment of an elderly woman and two younger men, Amnesty International said today. The Minister of Interior is reported to have ordered the immediate detention and flogging of a 75-year-old woman, Khamisa Mohammed Sawadi, along with two Saudi Arabian men known only as Fahad and Hadyan. All three were found guilty in March 2009 of being in the company of members of the opposite sex who are not close relatives, known as khilwa. More…
Bastion of Impunity, Mirage of Reform 2009 Report on Human Rights in the Arab Region. The Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies released its second annual report on the state of human rights in the Arab world for the year 2009. The report, entitled Bastion of Impunity, Mirage of Reform, concludes that the human rights situation in the Arab region has deteriorated throughout the region over the last year. More in Eng. in Arabic
HRW PRESS RELEASE: December 4, 2009 Saudi Arabia/Yemen: Protect Civilians in Conflict with Rebels. Aerial Bombings Reportedly Cause Civilian Casualties, Displacement . “The escalating conflict in northern Yemen risks escalating civilian casualties,” said James Ross, legal and policy director at Human Rights Watch. “All sides must avoid harming civilians and ensure that aid reaches them quickly.” More…
Amnesty International Press Release: 2 December 2009 Saudi Arabian authorities must investigate reported killing of civilians in Yemen “We have asked the Saudi Arabian government to indicate what steps they are taking both to investigate this reported incident and, more generally, to ensure that all possible protection is afforded to civilians caught up in the conflict area in Yemen and along Saudi Arabia’s southern border,” said Malcolm Smart. More…
For Your Information: There is a newly formed group in Saudi Arabia: in Arabic: http://www.humriht-civsocsa.org/news.php?action=show&id=89 in English: http://www.humriht-civsocsa.org/news.php?action=show&id=90
Interview with Dr. Saleh Khathlan, Vice President of the National Assembly for Human Rights (in Arabic only) Interview…
Amnesty International 2009 Report – Saudi Arabia Thousands of people continued to be detained without trial as terrorism suspects and hundreds more were arrested. In October, the government announced that more than 900 would be brought to trial. Human rights activists and peaceful critics of the government were detained or remained in prison, including prisoners of conscience. Freedom of expression, religion, association and assembly remained tightly restricted. Women continued to face severe discrimination in law and practice. Migrant workers suffered exploitation and abuse with little possibility of redress. Refugees and asylum-seekers were not adequately protected. The administration of justice remained shrouded in secrecy and was summary in nature. Torture and other ill-treatment of detainees were widespread and systematic, and carried out with impunity. Flogging was used widely as a main and additional punishment. The death penalty continued to be used extensively and in a discriminatory manner against migrant workers from developing countries, women and poor people. At least 102 people were executed. More…
