Several Saudi activists have slammed the United Nations for questioning the Kingdom’s human rights record.

They said the Kingdom protects the rights of women and expatriate workers and accused the UN of trying to create problems in the country because the Saudi government turned down the international body’s offer to join the Security Council.

Suhaila Zain Al-Abideen, a member of the National Society for Human Rights, criticized the UN.

“It is clear that there is a conspiracy against the Kingdom because it turned down the Security Council membership, and it (the UN) now wants to defame the Kingdom,” she said.

“Saudi women are allowed to participate in municipal council elections and there are many women who have been appointed as senior government officials. There are also many Saudi women who manage their own businesses and major firms,” she said.

“The Saudi government protects expat workers’ rights by ensuring fair contracts with private companies. The labor authorities have also initiated several measures to organize the local labor market aimed at distributing jobs among expats and Saudis,” she said.

Ali Mahmoud, a Saudi lawyer, echoed this view.

“Saudi Arabia has a better human rights record than most countries pretend to have. The Saudi government ensures basic freedoms, provides social insurance and public services such as health care, free education and enforces fair labor laws for expats and citizens,” said Mahmoud.

He said the UN report “has ignored many significant points” that show how the Kingdom has improved its human rights record. “The Kingdom’s leadership allows women to participate in local elections. The government has also issued several (decrees) to encourage Saudi women to work at private companies,” he said.

Bandar bin Mohammed Al-Iban, president of the Saudi Human Rights Commission, who led the Saudi delegation in Geneva on Monday at a UN review of the Kingdom’s track record, said the country has made remarkable progress in advancing and protecting human rights since its first review in 2009.

He said the Kingdom’s basic law of governance is based on the Shariah and the principles of justice, equality and the protection of basic freedoms. He said the Kingdom provides social insurance and public services such as health care, free education and enforces fair labor laws. Al-Iban said the country has an independent and fair judiciary.

Al-Iban recalled King Abdullah’s address during this Haj season in which he reiterated that the Kingdom was committed to protecting human rights as inspired by Islamic teachings. Al-Iban said Saudi Arabia had passed a package of laws and international agreements to protect labor rights. He cited the law that bans labor activity under the sun from June through August.