RIYADH: A total of 3,801 complaints from citizens and expatriates were filed at the National Society for Human Rights (NSHR), a local daily reported yesterday, quoting the organization’s annual report for the year 2007 that will be released in two weeks.
The report said 670, or 17 percent, of the complaints were against prison officials.
The complaints centered around delayed judicial proceedings, maltreatment, aggression, violation of prison regulations, prevention of visits, failure to release prisoners at the end of their prison term, psychological abuse, deterioration of health and others.
The report said the NSHR sent 377 letters regarding these complaints to the Directorate General of Prisons, which constituted 56 percent of the total letters sent to 18 government bodies concerned with prisoner affairs.
According to the report, Jeddah topped all other Saudi cities in the cases of family violence with 152 complaints, including 106 concerning physical and psychological abuse. Riyadh, with 49 cases, was second and Makkah, with 28 complaints, was third.
Jeddah also topped in labor cases with 85 complaints out of a total of 341 Kingdomwide. The labor complaints comprised mainly of nonpayment of salaries, refusal to transfer iqamas, retrenchment, physical abuse and prevention of workers from traveling home.
The NSHR said out of 31 government bodies, the Ministry of Education received the most complaints, 142. The Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs came in second with 133 complaints; the Ministry of Interior placed third with 69 complaints; and the Ministry of Health placed fourth with 67 complaints.
In the area of personal affairs cases (divorce, alimony, custody rights, etc.), Riyadh came first with 120 complaints and Jeddah second with 106 cases.
The report said the NSHR was able to resolve about 80 percent of the complaints it received.
