On June 27, Ranya Alammar on behalf of ADHRB delivered an oral intervention at the 32nd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva under Item 8. Please continue reading for full remarks or click here to download a PDF.
الرجاء الضغط هنا لقراءة هذه الرسالة باللغة العربي
Mr. President,
Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain regrets that certain countries still refuse to develop serious policies to stop impunity, even after 23 years have passed since the adoption of the Vienna Declaration and Program of Action.
In Saudi Arabia, the presence of a policy of impunity is quite obvious, especially for members of the security forces, the ruling families, or the wealthy. As we see it of great importance to resolve the problem of impunity in Saudi Arabia, it becomes even more crucial when it turns into a threat to the right to life. Whereas the right of the citizen or the resident is lost in accidents and homicides caused by security forces:
– On 1 December 2010, Salman Mohamed Abdo Aldoays, of Yemeni origin, died as a result of psychological torture and medical negligence. He was defended by the activist Mohamed Albajadi, who eventually became the reason behind his arrest later on.
– On 20 December 2014, emergency forces opened fire from an armored vehicle, killing the child Thamer Al Rabie’.
– On 5 April 2015, emergency forces opened fire from an armored vehicle, killing a migrant worker for Indian origin, Mohamed Azeem.
– On 21 April 2015, police forces opened fire at a youth gathering for an automotive show, killing Abdallah Al Ramadan.
– On 4 March 2016, police forces killed Mekki Al Areed under torture, after holding him incommunicado for two days.
– On 27 March 2016, Majed Bramandah died after being beaten by the police.
– On 9 May 2016, emergency forces opened fire on Ahmad Mohamed Al Zahrani on his way to work, simply on the basis of suspicion.
Some of the incidents mentioned above happened under false claims of “fighting terrorism.” Raids of houses and neighborhoods, where homes and property are destroyed without compensation, are happening more frequently. There is no legal avenue for the aggrieved to seek redress. They are even too afraid to demand this right.
All of these actions go unpunished and their continuance confirms the existence of a culture of immunity for members of the security services.
We demand that the Saudi government desist from such practices, and that the special rapporteurs concerned with such practices, especially the Special Rapporteur on torture and the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial executions, to exert all possible efforts in order to end those practices.
Thank you Mr. President
