JEDDAH/RIYADH: The rights bodies in the Kingdom welcomed the re-election of Saudi Arabia to the 47-member UN Human Rights Council, saying this marks the recognition of Saudi Arabia’s ongoing efforts to enhance human rights.

The Kingdom was among 17 members who were re-elected to the body for a three-year term on Tuesday.

The re-election came about in a secret ballot session in which the Kingdom managed to get 154 votes out of 192 despite only needing 97 votes to retain its seat on the council.

Bandar Al-Iban, president of the Human Rights Commission (HRC), said Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah’s efforts in battling global poverty, maintaining peace in the region, bridging the gap between different faiths

through dialogue and combating terrorism along with pushing forward reforms and development plans in the Kingdom contributed to Saudi Arabia’s re-election.

The HRC president also pointed out that the Kingdom had in the past fulfilled its commitment toward the council activities.

Dr. Muflih Al-Qahtani, president of the nongovernmental National Society of Human Rights (NSHR), said, “We at the NSHR believe this re-election marks an improvement in human rights conditions in the Kingdom and this can be marked by the second annual report issued recently by the NSHR.”

Al-Qahtani also said that the re-election would allow the Kingdom to express its views regarding international rights issues. “We’re happy about this election and believe it will improve the condition of human rights in the Kingdom and help Saudi Arabia benefit from the positive exchange of concepts with the international commission and also explain human rights through Shariah,” he said.

Since Saudi Arabia was elected in 2006 it has been making gradual improvements to its human rights record, such as the recent move to abolish the sponsorship system for migrant workers as well as launch studies into child and women’s rights issues.

However, despite the improvements and positive efforts to build relations and form a dialogue with international human rights bodies, an open letter against the Kingdom’s candidacy was sent to members of the UN General Assembly two weeks before the elections.

The NGO Coalition for an Effective Human Rights Council accused the human rights records of Russia, Cuba, China, Azerbaijan and Saudi Arabia of falling short of the required criteria to hold a seat on the UN Human Rights Council.

“These five candidates, we feel are not completely following the guidelines and should not be re-elected to the Council this year,” said Christoph Wilcke, senior researcher at Human Rights Watch, told Arab News in a telephone interview.

Among other organizations in the Arab region which opposed Saudi Arabia’s re-election to the council was the Human Rights First Society in Saudi Arabia. “I don’t think the country should be re-elected because we haven’t gained a lot as far as people and how much the country is moving forward concerning human rights,” said Ibrahim Al-Mugaiteeb, founder and president of the Human Rights First Society in Saudi Arabia. “Other countries in the Arab region also have to work equally hard on certain rights issues themselves.”

Al-Mugaiteeb also said that he cannot deny that there has not been positive changes concerning human rights in the Kingdom over the last decade, calling them “huge changes” but says that more also needs to be done.

“Although changes are positive, if they come too late they can lead to major fiascos. We need a more definite master plan. I mean we are building huge women’s universities and promoting education for Saudi women but contradicting ourselves by allowing the requirement for a male guardian to exist. Is it right to have a Ph.D. holder asking permission from her father or husband to travel or make simple decisions,” he asked.

He added that these small dilemmas could be easily reversed. “Why it is so difficult for the country to do so has become a primary question.”