Corporate report

Human Rights Priority Country status report: January to June 2016

Updated 8 February 2017

This was published under the 2015 to 2016 Cameron Conservative government

Between 1 January and 30 June 2016, the human rights situation in Saudi Arabia remained of concern.

There was a worrying rise in the use of the death penalty; whilst Saudi Arabia does not publish official figures regarding its use of capital punishment, Amnesty International reported that 94 people had been executed in 2016, as of 27 May, marking an increase over previous years. This included the simultaneous execution of 47 people on 2 January.

We are especially concerned about the use of the death penalty in a way which is incompatible with Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. This includes imposing the death penalty for crimes committed by persons below eighteen years of age, and imposing the death penalty for crimes other than “the most serious”. The NGO Reprieve has reported that the majority of Saudi executions are for non-violent offences, and we are aware of prisoners who have been sentenced to death for crimes they allegedly committed as juveniles. We regularly raise the cases of Ali al-Nimr, Dawood al-Marhoon and Abdullah al-Zaher, all of whom were convicted as juveniles, with the Saudi authorities. We do not expect that these 3 young men will be executed.

Ministers, our Ambassador, and the Embassy team raise the issue of the death penalty with the Saudi authorities, bilaterally and through the EU. As it is part of Sharia Law, we must recognise that total abolition of the death penalty is unlikely in Saudi Arabia in the near future. However, this government’s position is clear and understood by Saudi Arabia. We oppose the death penalty in all circumstances and in all countries.

We remain concerned about the case of Ashraf Fayadh, who was sentenced to death in 2015 for renouncing Islam, but whose sentence has been commuted to eight years’ imprisonment. It is illegal in Saudi Arabia to practise any religion other than Islam. The publication and possession of other religious texts continues to be severely restricted. We continue to seek suitable opportunities to raise this case and will follow it closely. The UK strongly supports the right to freedom of religion or belief. Restrictions on freedom of religion or belief in Saudi Arabia reflect widely-held conservative social values in Saudi society. We want to work with Saudi Arabia to identify areas where different faiths can work together, foster trust, and then build up to exchanges on more challenging areas slowly.

We continue to follow closely a number of cases against human rights defenders (HRDs) and attend trials where possible. While Embassy officials have had some contact with HRDs, it is often the view of the defenders that involvement with foreign representatives and organisations can make their task of pressing for reform harder. However, we continue to press for reform independently, including for better treatment of human rights activists.

Political parties in Saudi Arabia are prohibited, and political dissent is criminalised and harshly punished. We remain concerned by the case of Raif Badawi, a human rights activist and blogger who was sentenced on 7 May 2014 to 10 years in prison, 1,000 lashes, a 10-year travel ban, and a fine of one million Saudi riyals (approximately £206,000). He received 50 lashes on 9 January 2015. Subsequent lashings have been postponed. We have discussed the case at the most senior levels in the government of Saudi Arabia, and we will continue to do so.

We are very concerned by the use of terrorism legislation to quell political dissent in the country. We are similarly concerned by the increased monitoring of social media and the subsequent decline in activists’ willingness to exercise free speech or criticise the authorities. The UK government is a strong supporter of freedom of expression around the world. We believe that people must be allowed to discuss and debate issues freely, challenge their governments peacefully, exercise their right to freedom of religion or belief, and speak out against violations of human rights wherever they occur.

Finally, we recognise that women’s rights in Saudi Arabia fall short of international standards. The UK has consistently called for the full participation of women in Saudi Arabian society. This means removing legal and cultural barriers, such as the guardianship system, and ensuring that they do not prevent women’s participation. We will continue to engage in dialogue on women’s rights with the Saudi government. And we welcome the gradual reforms being made by the Saudi government through the expansion of education and employment opportunities.

We strongly believe that it is only through working in partnership with Saudi Arabia that we will bring about the changes we would like to see through engaging and supporting change. However, that does not mean that we shy away from difficult conversations. We continue to raise human rights concerns, and to encourage Saudi Arabia to respect international law - both in public and in private.