The delegate of Saudi Arabia, Abdulaziz al-Wasel, claimed before the Human Rights Council in Geneva that his country is committed to the principle of equality in prosecution and guarantees the conditions for fair trials.
During the 50th session of the Human Rights Council and a discussion with the Special Rapporteur on the independence of the judiciary and lawyers, al-Wasel said in a speech on behalf of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries that Saudi Arabia and all Gulf countries emphasize the complete independence of their judiciary, in addition to the fact that the laws stipulate the independence of the work of lawyers.
Al-Wasel’s word comes given Saudi-led practices in the Gulf states that violate the independence of the judiciary, foremost of which is the Gulf security agreement that allows the exchange of wanted persons, including human rights defenders and activists.
Al-Wasel considered that the laws stipulate the independence of the work of lawyers and the importance of their role. However, according to the documentation of the European Saudi Organization for Human Rights, the Saudi government is committing significant violations that undermine the work of lawyers. This starts with not allowing a lawyer to be appointed until after the trial has begun, in clear violation of local regulations and fair trial standards. Lawyers are also subjected to harassment, sometimes with summoning and arrest, because of their work.
Al-Wasel directed the work of the owners of the special mandates, calling them to respect the principle of independence and to verify the sources of their information, after several criticisms in letters from them to the Saudi government, especially about the independence of the judiciary and the work of lawyers in death cases.