Saudi Human Rights Conference Started

Conference News

Prince Naif Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud Minister of Interior is to supervise the conference of Human Rights in Peace and War

His Excellency Dr. Abdul Rahman Alswaliem , president of the Saudi Red Crescent, stated that under the patronage of His Royal Hines Prince Naif Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud Minister of Interior, the conference of Human Rights in Peace and War will be held in Riyadh, kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the period between 14-15 October 2003.at King Fahad convention center.

His Excellency Dr. Al swaleim also said (this conference came as an additional proof to the Saudi government continuous efforts and reforms at local and international levels in the field of Human Rights).

In addition, his Excellency stated that holding the conference in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at this particular time clarifies the Saudi interest and commitment towards human rights at this particular period of the international circumstances, in which humanity is exposed to many dangers in different areas around the world..

Added his Excellency, the conference aims at identifying different concepts of human rights in peace and armed conflicts and identifying the obstacles hindering the protection of human rights and suggesting their solutions, together with highlighting human rights in accordance with Shariah, and promoting a public awareness of human rights and international humanitarian law.

In addition, his Excellency said, the kingdom is continuously committed to the nobel goals and nobel objectives of the human rights and human dignity gained from an Islamic perspective. In addition, his Excellency Dr. Al Swaleim has confirmed that the kingdom is strongly supporting the international community efforts that promote the respect of human rights and its protection with regard to the supporting situation from an Islamic view.

The Organizing committee is continuously holding preparatory meetings to developthe conference plan of Action Following its continuous efforts for proper preparation of the conference, the organizing committee has developed the conference plan of action, together with nomination of the different members of the conference sub committees such as the scientific, advertising ,financial and public relations committees. Also the organizing committee has discussed the sub committee plans of action.

Following the invitation extended from the organizing committee of the Human rights conference in peace and war. Regional and International organizations and expertise in the field will Participate in the conference

Following the invitation extend from the organizing committee to different regional and international organizations and expertise, together with university professors, governmental and nongovernmental organizations working in the field of Human Rights, and as a response to that.

The conference secretariat has started to receive different responses including call of abstracts and participation forms from different arias in the world .this conference will be held at Riyadh city - King Dom of Saudi Arabia in the period between 18 -19 Shabban 1424 Hijj / 14 -15 October 2003 and the conference is under supervision of the Saudi Red Crescent and under the patronage oh His Royal Hines Prince Naief Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud Minister of Interior.

The organizing committee has the honor to draw the attention of those who have the intention to participate at the conference scientific program, that it has decided to extend the dead line for submission of abstracts to June 30th 2003 to provide chance for more participation.

The Saudi SHURA COUINCEL has decided to develop a committee concerning with Human Rights in the King Dom of Saudi Arabia. The Saudi SHURA COUINCEL in his last meeting in the second year of its third round has decided to attach the duties of human rights to the council Islamic affairs committee so as to be renamed as The Islamic affairs and human rights committee. The council efforts came in connection with the new and continuous King Dom organizational efforts and care of human rights at domestic and international levels, and implementation of the government laws that deals with human rights and its importance to be under care of a permanent human rights committee in the king Dom the committee members from the ministries of interior, Justice and foreign affairs.

This new committee will revise the government rules and regulations in connection with human rights to detect any form of lacks in this regard to be dealt with accordingly. Also the committee will be concerned about the processediours of implementation of the human rights rules and regulations. The committee also will study the international agreements that concerns human rights at international levels through the United Nations or through its human rights organizations or through other organizations and agreements in connection with human rights, which exceeds more than 60 agreement . the king Dom only sign 7 of those agreements. The committee will also cooperate with other non united nations organizations regarding human rights in judiciary and executive matters.

Malaysia: Migrant Rights Advocate Should Be Acquitted

(New York, October 13, 2003)-Malaysian human rights advocate Irene
Fernandez should be cleared of all charges of maliciously publishing
false news in a report that exposed abusive conditions in the
country's immigration detention camps, Human Rights Watch said today.
A verdict in the seven-year trial, the longest in Malaysia's history,
is expected to be announced on October 14.

A prominent advocate for the rights of migrants and women in Malaysia
for decades, Fernandez helped found the Kuala Lumpur-based rights
organization Tenanganita ("Women's Force") in 1991. Human Rights Watch
in 1996 honored Fernandez as a human rights defender.

In 1995 Tenaganita released a report documenting beatings, sexual
violence against detainees by prison guards, and inadequate food and
water in Malaysia's immigration detention camps. Fernandez was
arrested in March 1996 and charged with malicious publication of false
news under the restrictive Printing Presses and Publications Act of
1984. Later released on bail, Fernandez stands to be fined or even
imprisoned for publishing the report.

"Irene Fernandez should never have been charged for speaking out
against the abuse of migrants," said Brad Adams, Executive Director of
Human Rights Watch's Asia division. "Imposing criminal penalties
would send a message that the Malaysian government, on the eve of a
historic political transition, is still willing to use the law to
silence its critics."

The court's verdict, originally scheduled to be announced in March
2004, was pushed up unexpectedly by the presiding judge, and comes
just weeks before Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamed hands power over to
Abdullah Badawi, the deputy prime minister and minister of home
affairs.

If Fernandez is convicted, her punishment would mark yet another
chapter in Malaysia's use of the law to stifle free expression under
the Mahathir government, which came to power in 1981. Using various
repressive laws, of which the Printing Presses and Publications Act is
but one example, Malaysia's government has seriously constrained non-
governmental organizations (NGOs), the media and opposition political
parties in violation of international standards on free expression and
free association.

Malaysia's record on migrants over the past two decades is
equally poor. Although long a favored destination for both
migrant laborers and refugees, Malaysia has developed a record of
abuse against both groups. Most recently, the government has
blocked Acehnese asylum seekers from Indonesia from registering
with the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
(UNHCR) office in Kuala Lumpur.

"Rather than putting one of Malaysia's most committed activists
on trial for more than seven years, the Malaysian government
should work to address the key issues that Irene Fernandez and
Tenanganita have brought to light," said Adams. "The court
should end this marathon case and let Irene Fernandez get on with
her work."
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