JEDDAH, 11 March 2004 — The National Human Rights Association (NHRA) will fight injustice and despotism without any partiality or favoritism, said NHRA President Dr. Abdullah Al-Obaid.
He made the statement on Tuesday after Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd gave official approval to the 41-member organization, the Kingdom’s first human rights watchdog.
In a message to Dr. Al-Obaid, King Fahd described the formation of the association, which is based on Shariah and the Kingdom’s basic system of government, as an “appropriate step” and wished it every success.
The NHRA also has the backing of Crown Prince Abdullah, deputy premier and commander of the National Guard. “The crown prince told the association’s members when he met them on Tuesday that the NHRA would receive all support and care like any other government agency,” the president said. “All government departments will cooperate with the association so that it can achieve its objectives and work for the protection of human rights,” he quoted the crown prince as telling the association members.
There are 10 women academics in the association and Dr. Al-Obaid said it reflected the growing role of women within the NHRA to monitor rights violations against women in the Kingdom.
“We will cooperate with all organizations, including Amnesty International,” Al-Madinah Arabic daily quoted Dr. Al-Obaid as saying. The NHRA will also ensure that Saudi Arabia “abides by its commitments on human rights issues on the basis of the Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam, the UN Charter and international human rights covenants,” according to the organization’s bylaws.
Dr. Al-Obaid, a former secretary-general of the Makkah-based Muslim World League, said the organization would conduct a study on the human rights situation in the Kingdom in light of international covenants.
The NHRA will receive complaints related to human rights violations and pursue them with related agencies. It will also present its views and proposals to government agencies in order to protect human rights. The group will “stand against injustice, arbitrariness, violence, torture and intolerance” and will “protect the confidentiality of approaches, requests, complaints, information, files and correspondence.”
Revenues will come from publications, exhibitions, future investments, donations, grants “and any other resources that are not at variance with the association’s objectives.”
The association, comprising a general assembly and a nine-member executive council, will be based in Riyadh but can set up branches in other parts of the Kingdom and abroad.
Dr. Othman Al-Rawwaf, a member, said the association was committed to achieving its goals. “We will make sure that all regulations for the protection of human rights are followed,” he said.
Abdul Mohsen Al-Akkas, another member, spoke of the association’s limitations. “The NHRA is not an executive or judicial body to issue rules and decisions. It’s only an organization concerned with human rights in the Kingdom.”
He refuted allegations that the association was established as a result of foreign pressure. “We called for such an organization about six years ago. Those who say that it was established due to foreign pressure are unaware of the Kingdom’s cultural development,” he pointed out.
Dr. Suhaila Zainul Abidine, a female member of the NHRA’s executive council, said the protection of human rights was essential for social reforms. She said women members would play an active role in the organization. “Reforms must emerge from within our country. We will not allow any foreigner to interfere in our internal matters. We know best how to reform our society,” she said.
Dr. Hana Al-Mutlak, another female member, said she would focus on the rights of women and children.
Dr. Saleh Al-Shuraida, a member, said the association would play a supervisory role in preventing rights violations. “It will have the right to enter prisons and detention centers and look into people’s grievances,” he said. He said Saudis were looking forward to the organization with great expectations. “The Kingdom has good regulations but the problem is that some of them are not implemented properly and the association will focus on this,” he said.
Dr. Ahmad Saifuddin Turkistani, a university professor, emphasized the need to make the protection of human rights an integral part of society. “The culture of protecting the rights of others must prevail in all our dealings,” he added.
Dr. Abdul Qader Tash, another member, said it was premature to discuss details of the association’s fieldwork. He pointed out, however, that the NHRA would work to enlighten the public about human rights through the media.
