A human rights report revealed the Al Saud authorities’ behaviour, new trends of torture in their prisons since Prince Muhammad bin Salman assumed the Covenant mandate in 2017.
The ALQST Organization for Human Rights report, in cooperation with the Gulf Center for Human Rights, affirmed that the absence of basic legal guarantees to prevent torture creates an environment that enables its practice.
It said that the absence of legal guarantees facilitates legal legislations, such as some articles of the anti-terrorism system, and may even encourage it and an environment in which impunity will prevail.
A human rights report titled “Torture in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and a Culture of Impunity” described the practice of torture as “systematic” to extract confessions during the investigation.
The report pointed out that Al Saud authorities take torture as a form of punishment while in detention. Although prisoners have reported their torture to the courts, the police have not conducted any investigations into these allegations.
It pointed out that the courts are still adopting confessions obtained by torture as evidence in legal cases.
The new report explained the structural causes behind the practice of torture and touched upon the parties responsible for torture and ill-treatment.
It analyzed the Saudi authorities’ non-compliance with the United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, which they acceded to in 1997.
This is done by looking at the legal systems and examining some typical cases, including the stories of defenders, women human rights defenders, citizens and foreign nationals who are not activists.
The report provides information about new developments during the three years that have passed since Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman began restructuring the security services and putting them in his hands, including that a group of close associates tortured women human rights defenders in unofficial detention sites.
This development is disturbing because cases of torture of women did not occur in the past. Another frightening case revealed the use of the royal palace’s basement as a site designated for torture.
The report concluded with 21 recommendations – if implemented, that would ensure Saudi Arabia’s compliance with the United Nations Convention Against Torture – and would help end its practice, hold those responsible accountable, redress its victims, and prevent its occurrence in the future.