RIYADH: Crown Prince Mohammed bin Naif, deputy premier and minister of interior, called for a comprehensive public awareness campaign supporting international agreements and treaties that criminalize acts of trafficking and exploitation of children’s innocence, to protect the future generation.
The crown prince was speaking on Tuesday at the inauguration of the National Forum for the Prevention of Sexual Exploitation of Children via the Internet in Riyadh.
The forum, organized by the General Directorate of Public Security in cooperation with several departments of the Ministry of Interior, and government and nongovernmental agencies, drew regional and international participation, including 12 countries and 15 community-based organizations, international bodies and national and regional associations.
The crown prince said that under international agreements, governments should exercise maximum precaution to protect innocent children from criminals.
”Hosting this event clearly reflects the Kingdom’s keenness, under the leadership of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, on safeguarding human rights in general, and the rights of children, in particular, based on the teachings of our Islamic religion which prohibits human rights violations,” the crown prince said.
“We look forward to this event achieving its supreme aim and contributing to the strengthening of international efforts to confront the phenomenon of exploiting the innocence of children,” he noted.
Saudi Arabia ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1996, with a reservation, “with respect to all such articles as are in conflict with the provisions of Islamic law,” and considers it to be a valid source of domestic law.
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) sets out the civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights of children. The convention generally defines a child as any human being under the age of 18, unless an earlier age of majority is recognized by a country’s law.
Director General of Public Security Maj. Gen. Othman bin Nasser Al-Muharrij delivered a speech in which he highlighted the Kingdom’s efforts in serving peace through spreading justice and brotherhood among the people and combating injustice and corruption.
He added that a number of local, regional and international specialized institutions participated in this forum, including Interpol and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Organized Crime.
Hatim Ali, UN ambassador and director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Organized Crime in the GCC states, delivered a speech in which he highly appreciated Saudi Arabia’s efforts in the fields of security and protecting human rights, as well as its strong partnership with the United Nations.
Mohammed Al-Saidi, head of the anti-online child exploitation crime team at the Ministry of Interior, said local and international efforts come together on the platform in the fight against the crimes of online child abuse and sexual exploitation.
Locally, he said, Internet service was introduced in 1999 according to guidelines and regulations preventing any misuse. "A permanent Internet security committee was formed to control Internet security and usage in the Kingdom, and block sites that are contrary to Islam and national regulations.”
Recalling the introduction of anti-cybercrime laws in 2007, he said that violation of the laws can lead to a jail term and imposition of fines for publishing and promoting pornographic material online, or misleading and exploiting minors.
The Kingdom introduced the Child Protection Regulation in 2014 which aimed at protecting children’s rights, and prevent all forms of abuse, including sexual exploitation. It also prohibits the production, distribution, display, circulation and possession of any publication or audiovisual material that targets children.
The crown prince was speaking on Tuesday at the inauguration of the National Forum for the Prevention of Sexual Exploitation of Children via the Internet in Riyadh.
The forum, organized by the General Directorate of Public Security in cooperation with several departments of the Ministry of Interior, and government and nongovernmental agencies, drew regional and international participation, including 12 countries and 15 community-based organizations, international bodies and national and regional associations.
The crown prince said that under international agreements, governments should exercise maximum precaution to protect innocent children from criminals.
”Hosting this event clearly reflects the Kingdom’s keenness, under the leadership of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, on safeguarding human rights in general, and the rights of children, in particular, based on the teachings of our Islamic religion which prohibits human rights violations,” the crown prince said.
“We look forward to this event achieving its supreme aim and contributing to the strengthening of international efforts to confront the phenomenon of exploiting the innocence of children,” he noted.
Saudi Arabia ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1996, with a reservation, “with respect to all such articles as are in conflict with the provisions of Islamic law,” and considers it to be a valid source of domestic law.
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) sets out the civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights of children. The convention generally defines a child as any human being under the age of 18, unless an earlier age of majority is recognized by a country’s law.
Director General of Public Security Maj. Gen. Othman bin Nasser Al-Muharrij delivered a speech in which he highlighted the Kingdom’s efforts in serving peace through spreading justice and brotherhood among the people and combating injustice and corruption.
He added that a number of local, regional and international specialized institutions participated in this forum, including Interpol and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Organized Crime.
Hatim Ali, UN ambassador and director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Organized Crime in the GCC states, delivered a speech in which he highly appreciated Saudi Arabia’s efforts in the fields of security and protecting human rights, as well as its strong partnership with the United Nations.
Mohammed Al-Saidi, head of the anti-online child exploitation crime team at the Ministry of Interior, said local and international efforts come together on the platform in the fight against the crimes of online child abuse and sexual exploitation.
Locally, he said, Internet service was introduced in 1999 according to guidelines and regulations preventing any misuse. "A permanent Internet security committee was formed to control Internet security and usage in the Kingdom, and block sites that are contrary to Islam and national regulations.”
Recalling the introduction of anti-cybercrime laws in 2007, he said that violation of the laws can lead to a jail term and imposition of fines for publishing and promoting pornographic material online, or misleading and exploiting minors.
The Kingdom introduced the Child Protection Regulation in 2014 which aimed at protecting children’s rights, and prevent all forms of abuse, including sexual exploitation. It also prohibits the production, distribution, display, circulation and possession of any publication or audiovisual material that targets children.
