Human rights in Saudi Arabia 543245 226152065 2008-07-17T01:36:12Z CanterburyUK 7487927 /* Women's rights */ added reference to ban on women's sport. {{Politics of Saudi Arabia}} '''[[Human rights]] in [[Saudi Arabia]]''' are based on [[sharia]] [[religious law]]s under rule of the [[House of Saud|Saudi royal family]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41731.htm |title=Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2004 |publisher=US Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor |author=Unattributed|date=[[28 February]], [[2005]] |accessdate=2008-06-02}}</ref> Many [[Freedom (political)|political freedoms]], as described in the [[Universal Declaration of Human Rights]] do not exist; it is alleged that [[capital punishment]] and other penalties are often given to suspected [[criminals]] without [[due process]]. The government of Saudi Arabia has also been criticized for its oppression of religious and political minorities, [[homosexuality]], and [[women]]. Although human rights groups such as [[Amnesty International]], [[Human Rights Watch]] and [[The Center for Democracy and Human Rights in Saudi Arabia]] have repeatedly expressed concern about the states of [[human rights]] in Saudi Arabia, the kingdom denies that any human rights abuses take place. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ratified the [[International Convention against Torture]] in October 1997 according to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. The Human rights of Saudi Arabia are specified in article 5 of the [[Basic Law of Saudi Arabia]]. The first independent human rights organization in Saudi Arabia, The [[National Society for Human Rights]] was established in 2004<ref>[http://www.saudiembassy.net/2004News/Press/PressDetail.asp?cIndex=193 First independent human rights organization in Saudi Arabia]</ref> In 2008, the [[Shura Council]] ratified the [[Arab Charter on Human Rights]].<ref>[http://www.saudiembassy.net/2008News/News/RigDetail.asp?cIndex=7698 Shura Council ratifies Arab Charter on Human Rights]</ref> == Corporal and capital punishment; right to representation == Saudi Arabia is one of a number of countries where courts continue to impose [[corporal punishment]], including amputations of hands and feet for robbery, and lashings for lesser crimes such as "sexual deviance" and drunkenness. The number of lashes is not clearly prescribed by law and is varied according to the discretion of judges, and ranges from dozens of lashes to several thousand, usually applied over a period of weeks or months. In 2002, the [[United Nations]] Committee against Torture criticized Saudi Arabia over the amputations and floggings it carries out under its interpretation of [[Sharia]]. The Saudi delegation responded defending "legal traditions" held since the inception of Islam 1400 years ago and rejected interference in its legal system. Saudi Arabia also engages in [[capital punishment]], including public executions by [[decapitation|beheading]]. Beheading is the punishment for murderers, rapists, drug traffickers and armed robbers, according to strict interpretation of [[Sharia|Islamic law]]. In 2005, there were 191 executions, in 2006 there were 38 and as of July 2007 there were already 102 including three women. A spokesman for Saudi Arabia's National Society for Human Rights has said that numbers of executions are rising because crime rates are rising, that prisoners are treated humanely, and that the beheadings deter crime, saying, ""Allah, our creator, knows best what's good for his people...Should we just think of and preserve the rights of the murderer and not think of the rights of others?" <ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;jsessionid=45BQVYBAZNEV1QFIQMGCFFWAVCBQUIV0?xml=/news/2007/07/16/wsaudi116.xml Saudis prepare to behead teenage maid, Telegraph.co.uk, Tim Butcher, Middle East Correspondent, 16/07/2007]</ref> In 1997, Human Rights Watch examined the case of Abd al-Karim Mara`i al-Naqshabandi, who was executed after being convicted of practicing witchcraft against his employer. The organization concluded that the Saudi legal system "fails to provide minimum due process guarantees and offers myriad opportunities for well-connected individuals to manipulate the system to their advantage."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hrw.org/reports/1997/saudi/Saudi-01 |title=Saudi Arabia &mdash; Flawed Justice |publisher=Human rights Watch |accessdate=2007-08-21}}{{Dead link|date=June 2008}}(see [http://www.hrw.org/reports/1997/saudi/Saudi-01.htm#P46_1029 summary section]</ref>{{Dead link|date=June 2008}} == Women's rights == Saudi women face severe [[discrimination]] in many aspects of their lives, including [[education]], [[employment]], and the [[justice system]] and are clearly regarded as inferior to men. Although they make up 70% of those enrolled in universities, women make up just 5% of the workforce in Saudi Arabia,<ref>Al-Sharq Al-Awsat (London), July 23, 2006, translated at [http://memri.org/bin/latestnews.cgi?ID=IA30006#_edn1 Public Debate in Saudi Arabia on Employment Opportunities for Women]</ref> the lowest proportion in the world. The treatment of women has been referred to as "[[Sex segregation|gender apartheid]]."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.womensenews.org/article.cfm/dyn/aid/2212/context/ourdailylives |title=Taking the Gender Apartheid Tour in Saudi Arabia |date=[[March 7]], [[2005]] |author=Rita Henley Jensen |publisher=Women's e-news |accessdate=2008-06-02}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |last =Handrahan |first =L. M. |newspaper =Human Rights tribune |volume=8 |issue=1 |year =2001 |month=August |url=http://www.hri.ca/tribune/viewArticle.asp?ID=2603 |accessdate=2007-08-21}}</ref>{{Dead link|date=June 2008}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nostatusquo.com/ACLU/dworkin/WarZoneChaptIIIA.html |title=A Feminist Looks at Saudi Arabia |year=1978 |author=Andrea Dworkin |publisher=Andrea Dworkin on nostatusquo.com |accessdate=2008-06-02}}</ref> Implementation of a government resolution supporting expanded employment opportunities for women met resistance from within the labor ministry,<ref>Al-Watan (Saudi Arabia), May 18, 2006 translated at [http://memri.org/bin/latestnews.cgi?ID=IA30006#_edn1 Public Debate in Saudi Arabia on Employment Opportunities for Women]</ref> from the religious police,<ref>Al-Watan (Saudi Arabia), June 26, 2006 translated at [http://memri.org/bin/latestnews.cgi?ID=IA30006#_edn1 Public Debate in Saudi Arabia on Employment Opportunities for Women]</ref> and from the male citizenry.<ref>[http://www.islamlight.net/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=2519&Itemid=27] translated at [http://memri.org/bin/latestnews.cgi?ID=IA30006#_edn1 Public Debate in Saudi Arabia on Employment Opportunities for Women]</ref> These institutions and individuals generally claim that according to [[Sharia]] a woman's place is in the home caring for her husband and family. It is a country where culture and religion make women live mostly restricted segregated lives. There is also segregation inside their own homes as some rooms have separate entrances for men and women. <ref name="cbsnews1">{{cite news|title= Women Speak Out In Saudi Arabia |url= http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/03/23/60minutes/main682565.shtml |publisher= CBS News |date=[[March 24]], [[2005]]|accessdate=2008-02-25}}</ref> In the legal system, women face discrimination as the criminal laws of Saudi Arabia adhere to strict Islamic precepts. An example of this is the requirements for testifying in criminal proceedings; The witness must be deemed sane, the age of an adult, and a Muslim. Non-Muslims may not testify in criminal court. Women may not testify unless it is a personal matter that did not occur in the sight of men. The testimony of a woman is not regarded as fact but as presumption. The reasons women are forbidden to testify in proceedings are (quote):<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jeansasson.com/Law_and_Government.htm |title=Saudi Arabian Government and Law |Books by Jean Sasson |year=2007 |accessdate=2007-09-20}}</ref>{{Dead link|date=June 2008}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1286471 |title=Islam, women, and Saudi Arabian society |Node Your Homework Society |year=2002 |accessdate=2008-06-02}}</ref> # Women are much more emotional than men and will, as a result of their emotions, distort their testimony. # Women do not participate in public life, so they will not be capable of understanding what they observe. # Women are dominated completely by men, who by the grace of God are deemed superior; therefore, women will give testimony according to what the last man told them. # Women are forgetful, and their testimony cannot be considered reliable. As a result of these laws women are particularly vulnerable in cases of assault and/or rape, as their testimony is treated as a presumption, while that of their attackers is accepted as fact. In some cases, victims of sexual assault are punished on the grounds that they should not be alone with unrelated males. It happened recently when a woman, victim of a gang rape, was sentenced by a Saudi court to six months in prison and 200 lashes for violating laws on segregation of the sexes, as she was in an unrelated man's car at the time of the attack.<ref name="economist1">{{cite news|title= Women in the Middle East, A weak breeze of change |url= http://www.economist.com/world/africa/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10632747 |publisher= The Economist |date=[[February 2]], [[2008]]|accessdate=2008-02-26}}</ref> This case attracted the attention of the UN which expressed its concerns regarding the social attitudes and the system of male guardianship which deter women from reporting crimes and lead to a patriarchal system. Women are therefore prevented from escaping abusive environments because of their lack of autonomy and economic independence, practices surrounding divorce and child custody, the absence of a law criminalizing violence against women, and inconsistencies in the application of laws and procedures.<ref>{{cite news|title= UN call for Saudi women's rights |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/middle_east/7222869.stm |publisher= BBC News |date=[[February 1]], [[2008]]|accessdate=2008-02-26}}</ref> Women are not allowed to drive or ride bicycles on public roads in large cities. However, some do so on rural roads illegally.{{Fact|date=February 2007}} Women are allowed to fly aircraft, though they must be chauffeured to the airport.<ref>{{cite news|title=Saudi Arabia gets its first woman pilot|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/003200701121543.htm|publisher=The Hindu|date=[[2007-01-12]]|accessdate=2008-06-02}}</ref> Women’s rights are at the heart of calls for reform in Saudi Arabia - calls that are finally challenging the kingdom’s political status quo<ref name="cbsnews1"/> and the pressure from Western governments and from institutions such as the UN helps speed up the process. Local and international women’s groups are also pushing governments to respond, taking advantage of the fact that some rulers are eager to project a more progressive image to the West. The presence of powerful businesswomen—still a rare breed—in some of these groups helps get them heard.<ref name="economist1"/> Prior to 2008, women were not allowed to enter hotels and furnished apartments without a chaperon or [[mahram]]. With a 2008 Royal Decree, however, the only requirement needed to allow women to enter hotels are their national ID cards, and the hotel must inform the nearest police station of their room reservation and length of stay.<ref>{{Citation |url=http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2008/jan/25/yehey/top_stories/20080125top4.html |date=[[January 25]], [[2008]] |title=Saudi prince assures RP govt they respect rights of women |author=Jomar Canlas, Reporter |publisher=The Manila Times |accessdate=2008-01-25}}</ref>Encouraged by the recent advances in women's rights, advocates for the right of women to drive in Saudi Arabia - the only country in the world that prohibits female drivers – have collected more than 3,000 signatures hoping that the driving ban will also be lifted this year (2008) by King Abdullah. But the chances for this to happen are still small in Saudi Arabia’s deeply religious and patriarchal society, where many believe that allowing women the right to drive could lead to Western-style openness and an erosion of traditional values.<ref>{{cite news|title= Saudi Women See a Brighter Road on Rights|url= http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/30/AR2008013003805.html |publisher= The Washington Post |date=[[January 31]], [[2008]]|accessdate=2008-02-26}}</ref> According to the CIA world factbook, 70.8% of females are literate, in comparison to 84.7% literacy rates in males.<ref name="CIA Saudi">{{cite web| last =| first =| authorlink =| coauthors =| title =CIA The World Factbook, Saudi Arabia|work=CIA| publisher =| date= 20 September 2007| url =https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/sa.html| format =| doi =|accessdate=2008-06-02 }}</ref> Saudi Arabia is one of the few countries in the 2008 Olympics without a female delegation - womens' sports are, in principle, banned; although some teams do exist.<ref>{{citeweb|title=Saudi women jump through many hoops for basketball team|url=http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0416/p04s01-wome.html|publisher=Christian Science Monitor}}</ref> == Slavery and human trafficking == {{main|Human trafficking in Saudi Arabia}} In 1962, Saudi Arabia outlawed slavery, freeing about 10,000 slaves out of an estimated 15,000-30,000.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.yale.edu/glc/events/cbss/Miers.pdf |format=pdf |title=“Freedom is a good thing but it means a dearth of slaves” &mdash; Twentieth Century Solutions to the Abolition of Slavery1 |publisher=Yale University: Gilder Lehrman Center for the Study of Slavery, Resistance, and Abolition |accessdate=2008-06-02}}</ref> Slavery was ended by neighboring [[Qatar]] in 1952, the [[Yemen Arab Republic]] in 1962, the [[UAE]] in 1963, [[South Yemen]] in 1967, and [[Oman]] in 1970. Some of these states, such as Yemen, were [[United Kingdom|British]] protectorates. The British left South Yemen without forcing it to give up slavery, but did pressure the UAE into giving it up. In 2005, Saudi Arabia was designated by the [[United States Department of State]] as a Tier 3 country with respect to trafficking in human beings. Tier 3 countries are "Countries whose governments do not fully comply with the minimum standards and are not making significant efforts to do so." == Gay rights == {{main|LGBT rights in Saudi Arabia}} Although not uncommon and hidden, all sexual activity outside of a traditional [[heterosexual]] marriage is illegal. Punishment for homosexuality, cross-dressing, or being involved with anything that hints at the existence of an organized gay community will range from imprisonment, deportation (for foreigners), lashes, and sometimes execution. == HIV and AIDS == By law, all Saudi citizens who are infected with HIV or AIDS are entitled to free medical care, protection of their privacy and employment opportunities. Yet, most hospitals will not treat patients who are infected, and many schools and hospitals are reluctant to distribute government information about the disease, because of the strong taboos and stigma that are attached to how the virus can be spread <ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1&section=0&article=68051&d=7&m=8&y=2005 |title=AIDS? What AIDS? |publisher=Arab news |author=Manal Quota & Maryam Yamani|date=[[7 August]], [[2005]] |accessdate=2008-06-02}}</ref>. Until the late 1990s, information on [[HIV]]/[[AIDS]] was not widely available to the public, but this has started to change. In the late 1990s, the government started to recognize [[World AIDS Day]], and allowed information about the disease to be published in newspapers. The number of people living in the kingdom who were infected was a closely guarded secret. However, in 2003 the government announced the number of known cases of HIV/AIDS in the country.<!--Say how many, please--> Any foreigner found to be infected with [[HIV]], the virus which causes [[AIDS]] (or, indeed, any other serious medical condition), is deported to their country of origin. [[Condoms]] are available in hospitals and pharmacies, and in some supermarkets as well. == Political freedoms == Freedom of speech and the press are restricted to forbid criticism of the government or endorsement of "un-Islamic" values. [[Trade union]]s and political organizations are banned. Public demonstrations are forbidden. The Saudi Government is an active censor of Internet reception within its borders.<ref>[http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/filtering/saudiarabia/ "Documentation of Internet Filtering in Saudi Arabia"]</ref> Recently the internet has become a tool for dissent, however the arrest of prominent Saudi [[blogger]] and reformist [[Fouad al-Farhan]] has been seen as somewhat of a crackdown on online dissent. Fouad al-Farhan has been jailed in [[solitary confinement]] since December, 2007, without charges, after criticizing Saudi religious, business and media figures.<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/02/27/saudi.blogger/index.html "No freedom for 'dean of Saudi bloggers'", by Nic Robertson and Wayne Drash, February 27, 2008, [[CNN]]]</ref> He was released on April 26, 2008.<ref>[http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0428/p07s02-wome.html "Saudi official: Why popular blogger Farhan was jailed", by Caryle Murphy, [[Christian Science Monitor]], April 28, 2008]</ref> [[List of political parties in Saudi Arabia|Political parties are banned]], but some political dissidents were freed in the 1990s on the condition that they disband their political organizations. Only the [[Green Party of Saudi Arabia]] remains, although it is an illegal organization. The 1990s marked a slow period of political liberalization in the kingdom as the government created a written constitution, and the advisory ''Consultative Council'', the latter being an appointed delegation of Saudi scholars and professionals that are allowed to advise the king. == Religious freedoms == {{main|Status of religious freedom in Saudi Arabia}} Saudi Arabia forbids missionary work by any religion other than [[Wahabi]]/[[Salafi]] [[Islam]]. Saudi religious police recently detained Shiite pilgrims participating in the [[Hajj]], allegedly calling them "[[kafir|infidels]] in Mecca".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=21680 |title=Saudi religious police accused of beating pilgrims |publisher=Middle East Online |date=[[August 7]], [[2007]] |accessdate=2008-06-02}}</ref> Jewish, Christian or Hindu houses of prayer are not allowed. Unofficially the government acknowledges that many of the foreign workers are [[Christianity|Christian]] and on [[Aramco]] civilian compounds, foreign Christians are generally allowed to worship in private homes or even hold services at local schools provided that it is not spoken of in public. This is a degree of unofficial tolerance that is not given to [[Judaism]], [[Hinduism]] or [[atheism]]. Officially, the government can search the home of anyone and arrest or deport foreign workers for owning religious icons and symbols, e.g. a [[Bible]], or [[rosary]]. Yet, this generally does not occur on the [[Aramco]] compounds and the most common policy for foreign Christians is one without public acknowledgement. The government tolerates the presence of Christian workers as long as they do not publicly espouse or express their religion. Christian religious services are generally permitted to occur on Aramco compounds, but public displays of non-Islamic religions symbols, even [[Christmas]] decorations, can get foreign workers into legal trouble. "Freedom of religion does not exist," the U.S. State Department's 1997 Human Rights Report on Saudi Arabia states. "[[Islam]] is the official religion, and all citizens must be Muslims. The government prohibits the public practice of other religions." However, at the [[U.N. Third Millennium Summit]] in [[New York City]], Crown Prince [[Abdullah of Saudi Arabia|Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz]] defended Saudi Arabia's position on human rights, saying "It is absurd to impose on an individual or a society rights that are alien to its beliefs or principles." In and before February 2004, the official website of the Saudi Supreme Commission for Tourism stated that visas would be denied to "Jewish people". This language was removed after a complaint was lodged against the government by a US Government representative, who suggested that the US should not issue visas to Saudi nationals until the Saudi government reversed its decision to bar members of certain religious groups from entry. The Saudi government subsequently changed the language on their Web site. A Saudi government official was quoted as saying that the exclusion mentioned on the Web site was "a mistake", and stated that the kingdom would not deny visas to anyone on the basis of their religion. Israeli passport holders or holders of passports that have Israeli arrival/departure stamps are still barred.<ref name=jvl2007>{{cite web |url=http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/arabs/saudiban.html |title=Saudi Arabia Bans Jewish Visitors |Jewish Virtual Library |year=2007 |accessdate=2008-06-02}}</ref><ref name=cnn2004-02-28>{{cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/02/28/visa.flap/index.html |title=Jews barred, said Saudi Web site |date=[[February 28]], [[2004]] |publisher=CNN |accessdate=2008-06-02}}</ref> Foreigners must conform to local practices in public. Conservative dress is expected, especially for women who travel to rural areas. Shops and restaurants close five times a day for prayer, and public displays of foreign religious or political symbols are not tolerated. During [[Ramadan]] eating, drinking, or smoking in public during daylight hours is prohibited. <ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1&section=0&article=52719&d=11&m=10&y=2004&pix=kingdom.jpg&category=Kingdom |title=Non-Muslims Urged to Respect Ramadan |author=P.K. Abdul Ghafour |publisher=Arab News |date=[[11 October]], [[2004]] |accessdate=2008-06-02}}</ref> Foreign schools are often required to teach a yearly introductory segment on Islam. == Reactions of the West == Human Rights activists have suggested that the [[United States]], the [[United Kingdom]] and other [[Western Europe]]an countries have been hypocritical due to their strong condemnation of human rights record of [[Saddam Hussein]] (see [[Iraq War]]) but their complete silence regarding the unsatisfactory human rights record in Saudi Arabia.<ref>[http://www.americanprogressaction.org/ Center for American Progress Action Fund]</ref> Human rights activists have noted that the United States has oil interests in Saudi Arabia and have a vested interest in protecting the status quo in Saudi Arabia because the Saudi Royal family has been so favorable to the America regarding the supply of oil, supporting the war on terror, and opposing anti-American states like Iran.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4624578.stm BBC NEWS | Europe | EU under fire over human rights]</ref> == See also == {{Portal|Human rights}} * [[LGBT rights in Saudi Arabia]] * ''[[Mutaween]]'' (Islamic religious police) * [[Homaidan Al-Turki]] * [[Death of a Princess]] * [[Committee for the Defense of Legitimate Rights]] * [[Women in Arab societies]] * [[Qatif girl rape case]] * [[Faiza Ambah]] == External links == *[http://www.cbc.ca/news/reportsfromabroad/durham/20071218.html Where Saudis will send their most dangerous] * {{cite web |url=http://www.amnesty.org/ailib/intcam/saudi/ |title= Amnesty International - Saudi Arabia: End Secrecy, End Suffering |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20070202011603/http://www.amnesty.org/ailib/intcam/saudi/ |archivedate=2007-02-02}} * [http://www.salafimanhaj.com/pdf/SalafiManhaj_Saudi.pdf Does Saudi Arabia Preach Intolerance in the West] * [http://www.cdhr.info/ Center for Democracy and Human Rights in Saudi Arabia] == References == {{reflist}} == Reading List == * {{cite book | author=Laube, Lydia | title=Behind the Veil: A Nurse's Arabian Nightmare | publisher=Eye Books | Year=2003 | id=ISBN 1-903070-19-8}} * {{cite book | author=Mitchell, Sandy Hollingsworth, Mark | title=Saudi Babylon: Torture, Corruption and Cover-up Inside the House of Saud | publisher=Mainstream Publishing | Year=2006 | id=ISBN 1-84596-185-4}} * {{cite book | author=Sasson, Jean| title=Princess: A True Story of Life Behind the Veil in Saudi Arabia | publisher=Windsor-Brooke Books | Year=2001 | id=ISBN 0-96767-374-7 }} * {{cite book | author=Jones, John Paul| title=If Olaya Street Could Talk: Saudi Arabia- The Heartland of Oil and Islam | publisher=The Taza Press (2007) ISBN 0-97904-360-3 }} {{Human rights in the Middle East}} {{SOreligiousfreedomATW}} {{Segregation by type|state=collapsed}} [[Category:Human rights in Saudi Arabia| ]] [[Category:Saudi Arabia articles needing attention]] [[Category:Saudi law]] [[Category:Sexism]] [[it:Diritti umani in Arabia Saudita]]