RIYADH: The Saudi Human Rights Commission (HRC), in cooperation with the Saudi Lawyers’ Committee (SLC), will provide free legal service to those unable to bear the cost of litigation, its president Turki Al-Sudairy announced here yesterday.
“The decision was taken at a recent meeting between the two organizations in order to coordinate activities in relation to human rights violations and problems faced by lawyers while carrying out their duties,” Al-Sudairy said. “The aim of these deliberations was to promote greater transparency in their operations and achieve better coordination in the national interest of safeguarding human rights and improving the status of people on trials in line with the Kingdom’s national policy,” Al-Sudairy noted. The lawyers’ team was led by Majid Al-Garob, chairman of SLC, in the presence of senior officials from both sides. Al-Sudairy added that the participants had decided to appoint two liaison officers tasked with responsibilities delegated to them as and when necessary for such free legal assistance. The service will be open to both locals and expatriates depending on the merit of the case, he added.
The meeting underlined the common interests between the two organizations in serving the cause of Saudi society and promoting human rights.
Al-Sudairy said both bodies had been handling issues of common interest.
The SLC, on its side, cited obstacles faced by lawyers in judicial courts, investigation agencies and police stations. “These constraints remain an impediment in the path of their legal duties.”
During the meeting, Al-Garob paid tribute to HRC for playing an important role in monitoring the condition of prisons and taking follow-up measures to improve the problems facing inmates. He also appreciated the services of the Ministry of Justice and the Board of Grievances for acting on the recommendations of HRC in relation to human rights violations. “Such measures will go a long way in streamlining the regulatory framework for safeguarding human rights in the Kingdom.”
Both sides stressed the urgent need to incorporate a chapter on human rights in the syllabus of law faculties of various universities and also to increase the number of lawyers in the Kingdom.
“Such measures will create an awareness among law students and produce more lawyers to meet the current needs of the growing population in the Kingdom. Compared to other countries in the region, the number of lawyers is low in the Kingdom. Bahrain has 4,000 lawyers, while Jordan has 16,000 legal practitioners, whereas the Kingdom requires an additional 10,000 lawyers,” the committee pointed out.
The joint committee stressed the need to introduce supplementary courses for various departments of the judiciary to update its officials with the latest advances in the field.
