As the second week of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC)’s 56th session comes to an end, ALQST thanks its partners Reprieve, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), Freedom House and MENA Rights Group for our fruitful collaboration to bring human rights abuses in Saudi Arabia to the forefront of the HRC’s attention. At the occasion of the interactive dialogues with special procedures on summary executions, business and human rights, and discrimination against women and girls, ALQST and partners prepared three statements calling on Saudi Arabian authorities to urgently implement measures to address the dire human rights situation, including on the use of the death penalty, abuses linked to the Neom project, and the systematic crackdown on women human rights defenders.
We also regretfully note the short time allocated for interactions between the UN special procedures and civil society organisations during council sessions, which does not allow for every registered organisation to speak on crucially important matters.
All statements can be read in full below:
ALQST and Reprieve, Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Summary Executions:
Reprieve and ALQST for Human Rights express deep concern at the use of the death penalty in Saudi Arabia.
Despite promises of reform, Saudi Arabia is sentencing to death and executing individuals for crimes that are not the most serious. In 2024, Saudi Arabia has executed 80+ individuals so far, including for non-lethal and drug-related offences. The lack of transparency suggests that figures may be higher.
We deplore Saudi Arabia’s failure to uphold promises to discontinue capital punishment for those who were minors at the time of their alleged offences. We have monitored the cases of at least three child defendants who are at risk of execution, and ALQST is aware of six further cases. In many cases, the defendants were tortured into providing confessions used as evidence to sentence them to death.
We are further concerned that Saudi Arabia fails to provide families with notifications concerning case updates and execution dates and remind that notifying families of execution dates is a basic human rights obligation of retentionist states.
We denounce the continued weaponisation of the Counter-Terrorism Law to silence dissent, freedom of expression and association. Almost a quarter of all executions this year followed cases heard before the Specialised Criminal Court, known for cracking down on those perceived to be in opposition to the government.
We call on the Saudi Arabian authorities to: immediately revise laws that criminalise freedom of expression and peaceful activism with the death penalty; limit application of the death penalty to the most serious crimes with the aim of working towards its abolition; and prohibit executions for child defendants in accordance with obligations under international law and the Arab Charter. Lastly, we urge the mandate to continue advocating for greater transparency in Saudi Arabia’s execution practices.
ALQST and FIDH, Interactive Dialogue with the Working Group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises:
On behalf of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and ALQST for Human Rights, I draw your attention to the grave human rights abuses linked to the Neom project in Saudi Arabia which is attracting investment from many transnational corporations, and to the critical need for corporate due diligence.
The Neom project, despite its visionary promises, has led to severe human rights violations. Indigenous communities, particularly the Huwaitat tribe, face forced evictions, loss of homes and livelihoods, and suppression of dissent, most notably with the killing of Abdul Rahim al-Huwaiti in April 2020 as he was opposing forced eviction. The displaced residents have faced arbitrary and dishonest compensation policies, many receiving none of the promised compensation. These actions are in blatant violation of international human rights standards, including the right to adequate housing and freedom of expression.
Furthermore, individuals protesting these injustices have been subjected to arbitrary detention, harsh sentences of up to 50 years imprisonment, and even the death penalty, such as for Shadli al-Huweiti, brother of Abdulrahim who was killed in 2020. Such draconian measures highlight the dire situation on the ground and the urgent need for accountability.
We call on Saudi Arabia to immediately and unconditionally release all members of the Huwaitat tribe who have been wrongfully detained, and the overturning of the death sentences imposed on them. We also call on Saudi Arabia to allow access to the country for independent monitors to conduct investigations into the human rights abuses linked to the Neom project.
Finally, we call on transnational corporations to use their leverages and to uphold their due diligence obligations by taking appropriate measures to address human rights impacts and human rights risks linked to their activities or those of their business relationships in Neom as well as prevent further violations.
ALQST, Freedom House and MENA Rights Group, Interactive Dialogue with the Working Group on discrimination against women and girls:
Freedom House is joined by MENA Rights Group, and ALQST for Human Rights in expressing deep concern at the systematic crackdown on women human rights defenders in Saudi Arabia.
Despite recent reforms, Saudi Arabia's Personal Status Law and the male guardianship system continue to severely restrict women’s rights to equality and autonomy. They perpetuate gender-based discrimination, notably regarding child custody, and allowing child marriage.
Women's rights activists are also increasingly subjected to arbitrary detention, unfair trials, lengthy prison terms and travel bans. Loujain al-Hathloul, Salma al-Shehab, and Manahel al-Oteibi, have also endured solitary confinement, torture, and ill-treatments, solely for their courageous efforts to promote gender equality and human rights.
The imposition of travel bans on women’s rights defenders and their families limits their freedom of movement and isolates them from the international community, thereby preventing them from raising awareness.
We urge the Saudi government to address these violations and take concrete steps to dismantle the male guardianship system. We call for the immediate and unconditional release of those unjustly detained, including women human rights defenders and the lifting of their and their families’ travel bans.
We appeal to the international community and this Council to maintain pressure on Saudi Arabia to fulfil its human rights obligations, notably following the adoption of the Universal Periodic Review.
