RIYADH: Saying that human trafficking is a problem “that all societies suffer from,” the head of the governmental Human Rights Commission, Bandar Al-Iban, said the recently implemented law against the practice is “one of the most distinguished laws made to deal with limited individual cases (in Saudi Arabia).”
Dismissing charges that have been made by human rights groups abroad, Al-Iban said that human trafficking, forced labor and sexual exploitation are not common crimes in the Kingdom, and that the rarity of such violations is a reflection of the Saudi Arabian government’s concerns to confirm human dignity by criminalize abusing people, which is against the grain of Islamic values.
“The values that enabled the Kingdom to protect the rights of its citizens and residents as assured by the Second Deputy Premier and Minister of Interior Prince Naif,” said Al-Iban.
The HRC chief also said the HRC is in the process of putting together a plan for a comprehensive strategy for dealing with human rights complaints and ways to spread awareness of the culture of human rights.
He also said the HRC would be opening new offices throughout the Kingdom. The HRC president assured that the commission’s aim is not to publicize its efforts and achievements and thrive on media coverage, but rather to fulfill its mission by solving human rights related cases. “If that could be accomplished quietly, well and good,” said Al-Iban, adding that the society’s awareness of human rights is still growing. Al-Iban said the HRC’s charter grants it the right to visit penitentiaries and prisons, and tens of visits have been made to monitor their conditions, meet with prisoners, listen to their complaints and remarks and discuss them with officials to come out with resolutions. “Crowding is one problem prisons suffer from, and it is becoming a priority on the part of the officials along with other issues,” he said, adding that a resolution was issued to build seven penitentiaries in different parts of the Kingdom, which will help solve some of the observations noted.
There are some individual cases of prisoners who are still imprisoned even though they have completed their terms, according to Al-Iban.
The HRC has appointed a committee specialized in studying prison-related cases and is following up with prison administrations and other official bodies. “The HRC have always sought to have prisons issue on its agendas in its previous sessions, and it is worth mentioning that officials are extending every possible effort to resolve many of the issues of the prisoners,” said Al-Iban, adding that the large numbers of cases presented are forming pressure on courts, a situation that should be solved with King Abdullah’s project to develop the judicial system.
Al-Iban commended the unlimited cooperation the HRC had received from prison officials, adding that the Ministry of Interior works constantly on facilitating the mission. “We were entering the cells and listening to the prisoners’ complaints individually without any reservations or restrictions,” he said.
