On Monday, 30/1/1438 AH, Ms. Claudia Roth, Vice President of the German Parliament accompanied by Mr. Mikhail Aunmacht, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of Germany in the Kingdom and a number of members of the German Parliament, have visited the National Society for Human Rights. The delegation was received by HE the Chairman of the Society, Dr. Mufleh RabieanAl- Qahtani and a number of the Society’s members.

At the beginning of the meeting, HE the chairman of the Society has given the delegation a brief explanation regarding the Society’s activities and its contribution in spreading the human rights culture as well as the human rights’ remarkable progress in the Kingdom and the efforts exerted for its enhancement. Besides, the Ambassador has congratulated the Chairman of the Society and the Kingdom on the re-election of the Kingdom for membership of the Human Rights Council and the Chairman has thanked him and clarified that the Kingdom is exerting a great efforts in the humanitarian fields at the international level which have important implications for the protection and promotion of human rights and that was appreciated by the countries that voted for its re-election.

Additionally, the visited delegation has asked about the comprehensiveness of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 regarding human rights and its impact on human rights’promotion, particularly regarding women’s rights.  The Chairman of the Society has explained that the vision did not neglect this aspect as there is a great interesting to enable the different segments of society, including the women of their rights, in particular the economic rights. Moreover, the current development in the field of women’s rights is noticeable, especially the right to employment, political participation, as she earned the membership of the Shoura Council and was allowed to participate in the municipal elections as voters and elected and entered the legal profession.

They have also discussed other issues including the death penalty especially for those who are under the age of eighteen. His Excellency the Chairman of the Society has clarified to the visiting delegation that this penalty, in the Kingdom, is based on the provisions of Al Shariah and that the final judgment is issued only after being considered by a large number of judges to ensure the achievement of justice and that the state is seeking with the parents in such cases to provide amnesty to the execution of the sentence.
The visiting delegation has inquired about some of the sentenced persons. The Chairman of the Society has clarified that those people have committed crimes included infringement of the security men and the lives and property of others and that their actions were supported by the Iranian government and the Society is keen to get a fair trial.

In addition, the visiting delegation has inquired about the reasons for not highlighting the number of the Syrian and Yemeni refugees who are residing on the territory of the Kingdom despite their large numbers and not highlight the role of the Kingdom in their support in the media.

The Chairman of the Society has clarified that the Kingdom has been able to absorb the refugee problem and facilitated them the living conditions of life and has corrected their statutory and enabled their children to attend school and get medical care and aid and has dealt with them as guests and not refugees. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia also supports the Syrian and Yemeni refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey and other countries in the belief of its humanitarian role.

They have also discussed some other issues, including allowing women to drive cars and the position of Saudi society from such thing in addition to some of the relevant human rights issues.

The meeting was attended by:

• Vice President of the Society for Family Affairs Dr. Noura Abdullah Al-Ajlan.
• Member of the National Society for Human Rights, Dr. Ibrahim Hamad al-Qaeed.
• Secretary General of the National Society for Human Rights, Khalid Abdulrahman Al-Fakhiri.
• Secretary of the Chairman of the National Society for Human Rights, Ahmed Mohammed Al-Mahmood.