11 December, 2024
Today, the world celebrates Human Rights Day 2024 under the theme: “Our Rights, Our Future, Now.” This theme underscores that promoting human rights is the most effective pathway to addressing challenges and building more just, peaceful, and sustainable societies.
While this day emphasizes human rights as a cornerstone for achieving justice, equality, and securing the future, Saudi Arabia remains a nation without a constitution that defines its fundamental laws, outlines the basic rights and duties of individuals and groups, and provides guarantees for these rights. This absence leaves the future of individuals shrouded in uncertainty. Furthermore, the inadequacy or absence of laws allows authorities, who are entirely subject to the discretion of the King and Crown Prince, to criminalize individual behaviors arbitrarily.
The European Saudi Organization for Human Rights (ESOHR) asserts that the systematic violations of human rights in Saudi Arabia continue to pose a direct threat to individuals and communities, rather than serving as a means to improve the present reality. These practices starkly contradict the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which is being commemorated today on its 75th anniversary.
Saudi Arabia persistently commits systematic human rights violations, disregarding its international obligations and the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Among the most brutal practices is the death penalty, with over 300 executions carried out in 2024 alone—an alarming figure that reflects the excessive use of this punishment. The death penalty is applied politically, including against minors and detainees accused of expressing opinions or facing unjust charges, often based on confessions extracted under torture. Additionally, the authorities deny victims’ families the opportunity to bid farewell to their loved ones or participate in their burial, compounding their suffering.
Furthermore, Saudi Arabia continues to severely restrict freedom of opinion and expression. Individuals are arrested merely for voicing their views or calling for political and social reforms. Broad and ambiguous laws, such as the Cybercrime Law and the Counter-Terrorism Law, are wielded to suppress dissent and silence activists, rendering the intellectual and media environment nearly devoid of freedom.
The Saudi people are also deprived of any meaningful political participation, as there are no democratic mechanisms or free elections that enable individuals to influence decision-making. Critics of economic projects are prosecuted for highlighting violations of their rights.
Despite official claims of a radical transformation in women's rights in recent years, women in Saudi Arabia remain vulnerable to various forms of abuse. The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, in its latest report, highlighted issues such as the detention and travel bans imposed on women human rights defenders, the lack of effective protection for migrant workers, and the persistence of the male guardianship system.
The European Saudi Organization for Human Rights asserts that the persistence of violations underscores a lack of trust in official promises and highlights a stark contradiction to global human rights values in the absence of any mechanisms to hold perpetrators accountable. The organization emphasizes that respecting and promoting human rights in Saudi Arabia is not only a legal and moral obligation but also a fundamental step towards building a more inclusive, just, and sustainable society.
While Saudi Arabia promotes major economic and social projects and speaks of transformation plans, ESOHR affirms that a better future cannot be achieved without respecting human rights in all circumstances and contexts.