SAUDI HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS DISCUSS PROGRESS

C O N F I D E N T I A L RIYADH 002050

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT PLEASE PASS TO DRL FOR EBARKS-RUGGLES/JLIEBERMAN AND
NEA/ARP FOR RJACHIM/SRAMESH

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/28/2027
TAGS: PHUM PGOV KISL SA
SUBJECT: SAUDI HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS DISCUSS PROGRESS
WITH DRL DAS; SAY SAG SERIOUS ABOUT TIP

Classified By: Pol Counselor David Rundell for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) SUMMARY. During her June 4 - 7, 2007 to Riyadh, Saudi
Arabia, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL)
Deputy Assistant Secretary (DAS) Erica Barks-Ruggles met with
representatives of the Human Rights Commission (HRC) and
National Society for Human Rights (NSHR),who conveyed that
they are cooperating in addressing human rights issues in the
Kingdom. However, the SAG has made no progress on the law
relating to non-governmental organizations (NGO). NSHR
issued in May its first human rights report, which it
described as an independent assessment of the SAG's
compliance with international human rights protocols. Both
organizations acknowledged the Kingdom's ongoing problems
relating to trafficking in persons (TIP),agreeing that the
SAG takes this issue seriously. END SUMMARY.

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HRC
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2. (C) During her June 4 - 7, 2007 to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia,
DRL DAS Erica Barks-Ruggles met with HRC Chairman Turki
al-Sudairy, who told her that Commission and NSHR had formed
a joint committee. He added that the HRC works with many
ministries and has a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with
the Ministry of Defense. Additionally, the HRC liaises with
the Red Crescent Society and has agreed to provide training
on human rights to the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue
and Prevention of Vice. Al-Sudairy said the HRC receives two
to three cases a day, many involving family disputes, and has
resolved approximately 50 percent of them.


3. (C) The HRC indicated that it will embark on a training
and development program for its board members and staff as a
result of a MOU it signed with the UN's Institute for
Training and Research. This program will include two weeks
of training in Riyadh followed by one week of training in
Geneva. It will cover a range of subjects, including TIP,
women,s rights, and children,s issues. HRC will then
provide human rights training to schools, universities, and
the police. HRC Director General of International
Organizations and Relations Abdul Aziz al-Henaidy said the
HRC has developed a plan to increase human rights awareness
in schools and mosques, although he emphasized that this
program will be time and resource intensive.

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NSHR
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4. (C) NSHR Deputy Chairman Mufleh al-Khatani said his
organization provides advice to the SAG and identifies
international agreements that the SAG should implement, as
well as those it cannot because they contradict Shari,a. He
emphasized that only those components of agreements that
contradict Shari,a should not be implemented. He noted that
the NSHR Annual Report released in the middle of May 2007 is
the first human rights survey issued by a Saudi "NGO." (NOTE:
The NSHR is not independent of the SAG; therefore, cannot
technically be classified as an NGO. END NOTE.) Al-Khatani
said the report reviews SAG compliance with international
agreements and identifies problem areas. He claimed that the
NSHR is independent of the SAG, saying the report criticizes
parts of the Government and makes recommendations to promote
human rights. Khatani described the NSHR report as objective
and neutral, emphasizing that it strictly represents NSHR,s
views.

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TIP
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5. (C) Al-Khatani complained that reports by the USG and
international NGOs negatively impact the work of the NSHR
when they only voice criticism of the SAG. However, such
reports have a positive impact, he said, when they are
objective and report on progress in addition to criticizing
the SAG. Al-Khatani added thaQabeling Saudi Arabia as a
"country of particular concern" in terms of religious freedom
and TIP are not helpful and frustrate SAG decision makers.
He also said that these decision makers then think that it is
pointless to arrange visits by USG officials when the
resulting reports fail to say anything positive or refer to
progress made. He said the NSHR has compared the Kingdom to
other countries and found that countries with worse records
are rated as better. He expressed concern that the SAG would
be less cooperative in the future because of what he
described as the lack of objectivity and unbalanced nature of

these reports.


6. (C) Barks-Ruggles told al-Khatani that DRL has encouraged
Ambassador-at-Large and Director of the Office to Monitor and
Combat Trafficking in Persons Dr. Mark Lagon to visit Saudi
Arabia, as well as encouraging his attendance at the next
meeting of the Strategic Dialogue,s Human Development
Working Group (HDWG). She pointed out that the 2006 TIP
report did outline some SAG efforts against prostitution,
selling and trafficking children, and employers who fail to
pay employees, wages.


7. (C) Al-Khatani agreed that a visit to the Kingdom by
Ambassador Lagon would be very helpful, adding that the NSHR
participated in a workshop on TIP at the MFA,s Diplomatic
Institute in early May. He mentioned the attendance of an
American professor (NFI),who stated that most types of TIP
do not exist in the Kingdom. According to al-Khatani, this
professor classified these issues in the context of Saudi
Arabia as "labor problems." Al-Khatani continued that the
Council of Ministers recently issued a new decree calling for
the abolishment of the work visa sponsorship system but said
no real changes have been made to date. He pointed out the
difficulty of monitoring the treatment of foreign domestic
workers due to the inability of officials to access private
homes, adding that the NSHR will study the TIP situation to
determine whether the USG can provide any technical assistance


8. (C) During the meeting with HRC, Chairman al-Sudairy also
acknowledged the ongoing problems with TIP and emphasized
that the SAG is dealing directly with this issue. He added
that the Ministry of Labor (MOL) plans to open more labor
courts. Al-Sudairy noted that he has discussed TIP with
representatives from the Indian and Pakistani embassies,
pointing out that the SAG signed an agreement with the
Government of Yemen regarding trafficking of children. He
also said the Ministry of Social Affairs has shelters that
provide food and medicine for third country nationals who
have fled abusive employers, adding that the SAG pays to
transport individuals to their home countries. He claimed
that less than half of one percent of foreign workers in the
Kingdom experience TIP-related problems.

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ALLEGATIONS OF MISTREATMENT
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9. (C) There were also complaints about Guantanamo Bay
detainees. NSHR,s al-Khatani said that the Society works
with a committee of families of GTMO detainees. This
committee is concerned about the number of suicides and
attempted suicides, he said, and the committee was
disappointed that the USG released an Australian detainee to
serve his time in Australia, but has not done the same for
Saudis. He said family members feel that nothing will be
settled with regard to the remaining detainees.
Barks-Ruggles pointed out that the Australian had been tried
and convicted in a military commission and that this was not
analogous to any of the Saudi cases as no Saudi citizens have
yet been tried.


10. (C) HRC,s al-Henaidy also said there are problems
regarding Saudi detainees at Guantanamo Bay but did not
specify any concerns in detail. He also complained about
mistreatment of Saudi citizens at points of entry to the U.S.
He pointed out that many Saudis are choosing not to study in
the U.S. -- even though a U.S. education is preferred --
because they are concerned about mistreatment by U.S.
authorities. It was suggested that Saudi students be
provided with pamphlets in Arabic explaining U.S. laws and
warning them about potential problems. Barks-Ruggles
outlined the study abroad seminars that Post has instituted
and the detailed information being given regarding entry
requirements and travel to the U.S. for all Saudi students
leaving this fall on scholarships to the U.S. She emphasized
the importance of the SAG urging students to attend these
seminars before traveling and asked the HRC to be in frequent
contact with the Embassy and Ministry of Higher Education on
this issue.

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NGO LAW
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11. (C) Al-Khatani said that the draft NGO law is still being
considered by the Majlis al-Shoura and has been referred back
to committee, explaining that some NSHR and Shoura Council
members criticized an earlier version of the draft law, which
is why the SAG decided to revise it. He said he hopes the

law will allow NGOs to work independently and efficiently but
predicted it would not be ready for more thorough examination
for some months.

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COMMENT
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12. (C) The issuance of a report on human rights is an
important and interesting step in the development of
accountability mechanisms on human rights (septel). While
not "independent," the fact that there is a perceived need
for such a report is a good sign that the SAG and the NSHR
are beginning to take some steps towards public
accountability and openness about some human rights issues.
Although discussions with the HRC have always been open and
friendly, it is clear that this organization is still trying
to address its administrative and internal procedures.
Hence, it will be some time before the HRC can effectively
work with SAG ministries to systematically address human
rights issues. END COMMENT.


13. (U) This cable has been cleared by DAS Barks-Ruggles.
FRAKER