Justin Ryan, deputy head of Ireland Mission in the Kingdom, visited the National Society for Human Rights this week.
Moflih Al-Qahtani, chairman of NSHR, discussed with Ryan human rights related issues, including the society's third report on human rights status in the Kingdom and the role of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and the Saudi leadership in upholding human rights. They also discussed women's participation in Shoura Council and municipality elections.
The NSHR was established in 2004 and has dealt with more than 7,000 rights issues since then. About one-quarter of the society’s caseload focuses on family issues. The society also handles citizenship, financial and labor issues. Society members also visit prisons to monitor human rights issues.
Al-Qahtani explained to the visiting delegation the notable progress in the Kingdom with regard to women's rights as a result of the support it is receives from the king.
Al-Qahtani also reviewed the status of child marriages. He characterized child marriages as isolated incidents and cited strong efforts to establish regulations to restrict it.
The meeting also covered the role of the society in supporting training and rehabilitation programs for those who work in the field of executing and applying laws, to protect and enhance human rights.
The chairman of NSHR told the delegation that the capital punishment concept in Saudi Arabia is based on Shariah, which is the law of the country, pointing out that families of victims are the one who have the right to demand the execution of punishment or pardon the killer.
The Saudi leadership, Al-Qahtani said, is keen on intervening by adopting initiatives to pardon some individuals sentenced to death, and to promote it and encourage it in society.
Al-Qahtani said his organization had a great impact on pardoning issues as part of the morals of Shariah, which encourages tolerance.
