JEDDAH, 8 April 2004 — Interior Minister Prince Naif has called upon prison wardens in various parts of the country to treat their prisoners well and exert greater efforts to ensure better management of prisons.
In his opening address to the first meeting of prison chiefs in Madinah on Tuesday, Prince Naif emphasized the role of prisons in reforming inmates to make them useful citizens.
“Establishment of justice and protection of rights are the Kingdom’s hallmarks,” Prince Naif said and stressed the Kingdom’s efforts to take care of prisoners. “The Kingdom’s rules and regulations have taken care of human rights in Islam.”
The address, which was read out by Madinah Governor Prince Muqrin, said the Kingdom had set up national committees to care for prisoners and their families.
Prince Naif highlighted the importance of the recently formed National Human Rights Association (NHRA).
“The establishment of NHRA is an affirmation of the government’s keenness toward its citizens and expatriate workers, especially prisoners, detainees and convicts,” Prince Naif said.
Meanwhile, NHRA Vice President Dr. Bandar ibn Ahmed A-Hejar said yesterday the organization’s members would start visiting prisons in the Kingdom on Saturday.
“We would like to begin this visit from the Riyadh jail to look into the condition of prisoners and make a report,” Al-Yaum Arabic daily quoted Dr. Al-Hejar as saying.
He said the organization’s board of directors would discuss how to interact with the public.
Also yesterday, Prince Naif separately received the male and female NHRA members and stressed the organization’s role in strengthening the concept of human rights in Islam.
Saudi Arabia on March 9 officially approved the 41-member rights watchdog and pledged support for the success of its mission.
Prince Naif has already instructed ministries and government departments to cooperate with the organization and facilitate its activities.
“Women are partners of men in the building and development of society within the framework of noble Islamic rules,” the minister said while receiving the female NHRA members.
Noura Al-Jomaih, one of the 10 female members, said that redressing the injustices inflicted on Saudi women would be high on the association’s agenda.
