Saudi Arabia claimed that it endorsed 83% of the recommendations made by UN member states during the latest cycle of the Universal Periodic Review mechanism in 2024. In its report to the Working Group in July 2024, Saudi Arabia stated that it had shown what it called “the highest degree of cooperation with the mechanism during its four cycles,” claiming that it had implemented over 85% of the recommendations from previous cycles.
The European-Saudi Organization for Human Rights points out that Saudi Arabia’s claims of cooperation with the mechanism and implementation of previous recommendations contradict the reality of its continued violations of most of its international commitments. While Saudi Arabia indicated that its review of the recommendations resulted in the support of (273) recommendations, partial acceptance of (24) recommendations, noting (52) recommendations, and rejecting (5) recommendations, the organization clarifies that the number of supported recommendations does not imply their implementation, given the ongoing disregard for recommendations from previous cycles that Saudi Arabia had accepted.
ESOHR notes that the recommendations Saudi Arabia accepted include only part of the recommendations related to the death penalty and amendments to the anti-terrorism law, despite this issue being the most deteriorated aspect of human rights in Saudi Arabia. Since the beginning of 2024, Saudi Arabia has executed more than 90 people, including 20 who faced terrorism-related charges.
ESOHR believes that the partial support for some recommendations involves a denial of binding commitments. Saudi Arabia supported a recommendation to reduce the number of crimes punishable by death and limit it to the most serious crimes according to international law. However, it noted a request for an official moratorium on the death penalty for drug-related offenses, despite the official Human Rights Commission announcing a halt to this punishment in 2021.
Furthermore, its partial support for a recommendation regarding the alignment of anti-terrorism legislation with international human rights standards includes a note on the part concerning freedom of assembly, considering this to fall outside its commitments, and that legal restrictions are permissible in some rights and freedoms to protect higher interests.
In addition, Saudi Arabia partially accepted recommendations related to ratifying international mechanisms such as the International Covenants and accepting requests for visits by special rapporteurs. This comes despite years of ignoring visit requests by rapporteurs, and in cases where visits were accepted, violations were observed regarding experts' ability to access information and independent entities. There has been clear inadequacy in implementing treaties Saudi Arabia had previously signed, including the Convention against Torture and the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
ESOHR notes Saudi Arabia's notable rejection of recommendations concerning human rights defenders and the release of detainees for expressing their opinions, considering it based on unreliable information. This is while dozens of defenders and activists remain in prisons, with some subjected to enforced disappearance and severe violations.
ESOHR considers Saudi Arabia's handling of the Universal Periodic Review mechanism as fundamentally reflective of its general approach to international human rights mechanisms. It exploits them to improve its image and criticizes the sources and information relied upon by relevant bodies. Saudi Arabia reiterated in its report to the working group that endorsing a recommendation does not imply the absence of reinforcing measures, nor does it imply violations, stating that "analysis showed that some recommendations made to the Kingdom were based on an inaccurate understanding or perception of the human rights situation, or relied on unreliable or inaccurate sources." This comes as Saudi Arabia's repressive policies have led to no participation or representation from within Saudi civil society or activists in review sessions.
The organization clarifies that Saudi Arabia's positions on recommendations were formulated by a specialized committee established by royal order, alongside experts from the official human rights body, which has been proven to play a significant role in whitewashing Saudi Arabia's image in recent years and obfuscating facts.