A recent study released by Naif University for Security Sciences identified 10 factors that hinder human rights supervision in the Kingdom.

“A lack of coordination with government agencies, ambiguity of the concept of human rights among the public and officials and the inability to take human rights issues seriously were among the most notable factors hampering human rights monitoring in the country,” lead researcher Mohammed Al-Jaidi has said.

Al-Jaidi said a number of families of prisoners raised complaints to the authorities about the exposure of their children to violence, injustice, or abuse by the System for Penalties.

Complaints also mentioned the delay in trying and issuing sentences against the detainees. “The human rights bodies are supposed to discuss these complaints and work to remove the causes,” the researcher said.

He said the Human Rights Commission is one of the supervisory bodies committed to protect the rights and personal freedoms of citizens. “It must make sure that there is no abuse of power and prevent abuse and injustice,” he said.

The researcher added in his study that the commission’s duty is to ensure that concerned government agencies implement the rules and regulations applicable with respect to human rights and approve the Kingdom’s reports on human rights and to visit prisons and places of detention at any time without permission from the authorities.

Al-Jaidi explained that people accused of criminal offenses have several rights guaranteed by the law during detention and interrogation, and the Human Rights Commission is supposed to protect them.

The researcher said the supervisory functions of the commission include follow-ups, receiving of complaints and grievances that might affect citizens or residents, and to verify whether the complaints are true or not.

The study monitored measures taken by the commission to help the victims approaching it with complaints and to make sure no harm befell them again.

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