SAUDI HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST FREE TO TRAVEL,

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RIYADH 000006

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

NEA/ARPI FOR SHUKAN, PARIS FOR ZEYA, LONDON FOR TSOU

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/02/2016
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL SA
SUBJECT: SAUDI HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST FREE TO TRAVEL,
ENCOURAGED BY PROSPECT OF REFORM

REF: 05 RIYADH 4737

Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Michael Gfoeller for reasons
1.4 (b, d).


1. (C) Summary: Ibrahim Mugaiteeb, President of the Saudi
NGO, "Human Rights First" (HRF),informed poloff that the SAG
had returned his Saudi passport, and will allow him to travel
to Germany to receive medical attention. Mugaiteeb also
stated that he had met with the chairman of the National
Human Rights Society (NHRS),Dr. Turki bin Khaled Al-Sudairi,
who helped him secure the return of his passport. In those
discussions, Mugaiteeb agreed to serve as an "unofficial"
advisor to Dr. Al-Sudairi and the NHRS. The NHRS, whose
chairman reports directly to King Abdullah, announced that it
was officially open to receive complaints and petitions from
Saudi citizens and expatriates concerning human rights
issues. Mugaiteeb is optimistic about human rights reform
efforts in the Kingdom, and about the work of the NHRS. End
Summary.


2. (C) During a December 15 telephone conversation, Ibrahim
Mugaiteeb (please protect),President of the still
unrecognized Saudi NGO, "Human Rights First" (HRF),told
Poloff that the SAG had returned his Saudi passport and would
allow him to travel to Germany for medical treatment.
Mugaiteeb had been in a Saudi hospital for 23 days, and was
released on December 14. He had complained in previous
conversations with Poloff that the SAG was intentionally
witholding proper medical treatment for his ailing back, and
that it was criminal that the SAG would not return his Saudi
passport to allow him to travel outside of the Kingdom.


3. (C) Mugaiteeb stated that the new chairman of the
National Human Rights Society (NHRS),Dr. Turki bin Khaled
Al-Sudairi, was instrumental in securing the return of his
confiscated Saudi passport. According to Mugaiteeb, Dr.
Al-Sudairi interceded on his behalf with Assistant Minister
of Interior Prince Mohammad bin Naif and Crown Prince Sultan,
and managed to convince the SAG to return Mugaiteeb's
passport. Mugaiteeb told Poloff that he is now free to
travel to Germany to seek proper medical attention. He also
complimented the German Embassy in Riyadh for its assistance,
and said he was looking forward to making appointments with
various human rights organizations in Germany.


4. (SBU) The National Human Rights Society (NHRS) is the
government commission created in October 2005 to monitor and
address human rights cases. The NHRS has 18 permanent
full-time staff and six part-time employees. The King
appoints board members to four-year renewable terms. Chairman
Dr. Al-Sudairi was quoted in the Saudi press in early
December 2005 as saying that the NHRS had officially opened
its headquarters in Riyadh, and was receiving complaints and
petitions from Saudi citizens and non-Saudi residents.


5. (C) Mugaiteeb is optimistic about the prospects of
reform under Dr. Al-Sudairi and the NHRS, particularly since
its chairman has the rank of minister and reports directly to
King Abdullah. Mugaiteeb stated that he had met with Dr.
Al-Sudairi twice, once as a guest in Al-Sudairi's home and
once in Al-Sudairi's office, to discuss the SAG's
unwillingness to license HRF officially, and the SAG's
imposed travel ban on him. During their initial meeting, Dr.
Al-Sudairi asked Mugaiteeb to stop his human rights campaign,
and requested that he instead channel his grievances through
the NHRS. According to Mugaiteeb, Dr. Al-Sudairi also
offered him a part-time job with the NHRS. Mugaiteeb
declined, but did agree to work with the NHRS as an
"unofficial" advisor. He made it clear to Al-Sudairi that he
would not accept employment with the SAG, but was comfortable
passing human rights grievances and concerns to the NHRS
before releasing the information to the public. Al-Sudairi
assured Mugaiteeb that if the SAG does not allow him to do
his work as Chairman, he will resign from the NHRS.


6. (C) Mugaiteeb also discussed minority representation on
the NHRS with Al-Sudairi. He told the chairman that the
commission must have representatives from the Sufi, Shi'a,
and Ismaili communities. They discussed possible candidates
for board membership. Mugaiteeb said that Al-Sudairi was
comfortable with many of the names he offered as possible
candidates for membership on the commission.


7. (C) Comment: Mugaiteeb clearly sounded better than in
previous telephone conversations. Normally suspicious and
cynical of SAG human rights reform efforts, Mugaiteeb appears
optimistic about changes occuring in the Kingdom. He is also
encouraged by the support he has received from the NHRS and
Dr. Al-Sudairi. He stated on a couple of occasions that Dr.
Al-Sudairi has pledged his "unconditional support." This is
in stark contrast to last July when the Ministry of Interior
attempted to bribe Mugaiteeb to cease his human rights
activism and threatened him with arrest (reftel). Mugaiteeb
believes that Al-Sudairi is a good man, is not corrupt, and
may have enough political influence to make a difference. He
stated that he will likely depart the Kingdom for Germany in
mid-January after the Eid al-Adha holiday. He ended the
telephone conversation boasting, "the SAG will regret the
fact that they allowed me to leave." End Comment.


8. (C) Biographic Data: NHRS Chairman Dr. Turki bin Khaled
Al-Sudairi is in his sixties, and worked previously as a
state minister and Cabinet member for eight years. Other
post contacts have said that Dr. al-Sudeiri was handpicked by
the SAG to form the NHRS, and would probably serve as the
chairman for two years.
OBERWETTER