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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Jacob Snyder who wrote (99371)	5/29/2003 1:38:22 AM
From: Jacob Snyder	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

Amnesty International 2003 report: Saudi Arabia: Gross human rights violations continued and were exacerbated by the government policy of "combating terrorism" in the wake of the 11 September 2001 attacks in the USA. The violations were perpetuated by the strictly secretive criminal justice system and the prohibition of political parties, trade unions and independent human rights organizations. Hundreds of suspected religious activists and critics of the state were arrested, and the legal status of most of those held from previous years remained shrouded in secrecy. Women continued to suffer severe discrimination. Torture and ill-treatment remained rife. At least 48 people were executed. Over 5,000 Iraqi refugees continued to live in Rafha camp as virtual prisoners. International non-governmental human rights organizations were denied access to the country and the government failed to respond to any of the concerns raised by AI during the year. In March 'Abdul Muhsin Musalam, a poet, was reportedly arrested and detained for having written a poem entitled The Corrupt on Earth, which criticized judges in Saudi Arabia. His poem was published in al-Madina newspaper. The editor of al-Madina was subsequently dismissed apparently for allowing publication of the poem. 'Abdul Muhsin Musalam was detained for approximately 14 days before he was released without being charged or tried. The debate on women's rights continued and steps were taken by the government that could constitute the beginning of a challenge to the severe forms of discrimination suffered by women. The gravity of this discrimination was highlighted in March by the death of 15 girls and the injury of dozens of others during a fire at a school in Mecca housing 800 girls. There were concerns that the girls may have been victims of the strict application by the Mutawa'een (religious police) of the policy of segregating the sexes. Some eyewitnesses said that the Mutawa'een prevented the girls from escaping because they were not wearing headscarves and because their male relatives were not there to receive them. The Mutawa'een were also said to have prevented rescuers from entering the school because they were men. The government denied the involvement of the Mutawa'een, apparently on the basis of an investigation it had carried out. AI called for a transparent investigation into the incident and the bringing to justice of anyone responsible for the deaths. It did not receive a reply. Officials, including ministers, made announcements on other women's issues during the year. These included: consideration of allowing practices for women lawyers... attendance by women at the all-male Consultative Council's discussions of issues affecting women; and plans to set up a special unit to tackle violence in the home. While these measures may reflect an emerging consciousness about the severe forms of discrimination suffered by women, the eradication of such discrimination remained far from reality. At least seven people, all foreign nationals, had their right hand amputated, and one man had two of his teeth extracted under qisas (retribution) punishment.