The Center for Democracy and Human Rights in Saudi Arabia

Washington DC

Women Are Easy Targets 

Women are denied rights granted men in Saudi religious court.  Women are not allowed to represent themselves in or even sit in courts when their verdicts are read.  Recently a woman took an official of the austere theocratic religious police, Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, to court for mistreatment. She has been shoved around because the religious police are part of the judicial system. They can arrest and interrogate and detain people for long periods of time. This veracious group has unlimited authority to bully people in the name of prayers, fasting, honor, dress code and total submission to the ruling family. If the Saudi king and his ruling family are serious about allowing for basic liberties, then start with dismantling of the veracious religious police. Read more

More News 

Rash of Beheadings 

The Saudi authorities have conducted at least 76 beheadings so far this year, more than twice the beheadings in the whole of 2006.  In some cases, the bodies were left hanging on poles for public viewing and as a reminder that anyone could face the same fate. The death penalty is based on the Shari’ah, Islamic law, as interpreted and implemented by Saudi religious judges. The Saudi government, royal family, beheads people to supposedly deter them from committing rapes, killing each other, smuggling drugs and stealing food or money. In reality the beheadings, which take place in a public square after Friday prayers, are designed to create constant terror and fear in people’s hearts and minds.  The alarming numbers of beheadings have raised concerns of international human rights groups. Unless alternatives to these beheadings, intimidation and suppression are found and implemented, things in Saudi Arabia will continue to deteriorate. Read more  

Reformers or Terrorists 

The Saudi authorities are rounding up Saudi reformers in the name of combating terrorism. In recent months, the Saudi ministry of interior has accused Saudi reformers of aiding terrorists in Iraq. Ironically, the Saudi government is one of the Iraqi insurgents’ biggest supporters. According to the Saudi government’s trusted consultant, Nawaf Obaid (Washington Post November 29, 2006), the Saudis would invade Iraq to support their Sunni brothers if the US leaves before the minority Sunnis are granted a decisive role in the Iraq new political arrangements.  Read more

Abuse in Schools 

Saudi officials (anyone who works for the government) could do almost anything as long as it serves the royal family’s intended goals and interests. Civil and religious police and anyone in uniforms, can intimidate, arrest, interrogate and even physically assault citizens with immunity.  Saudi school teachers at all levels have the power to punish their students, including children, and get away with it in most cases. Read More

To Contact Us:

The Center for Democracy & Human Rights in Saudi Arabia  
1050 17^th Street NW, Suite 1000  
Washington DC, 20036  
USA

Phone: (202)558-5552, (202) 413-0084

Fax: (202)536-5210

Email: cdhr@PROTECTED  
Website: www.cdhr.info