Torture in Oman, Repression in Saudi Arabia and UAE / Side Event at the United Nations Human Rights Council
14/03/2014
On 14 March 2014, the Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR), the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies(CIHRS ) and CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation, organised an event at the 25th session of the Human Rights Council to launch the new report on Torture in Oman and to highlight ongoing repression of human rights defenders in Saudi Arabia and UAE.
Khalid Ibrahim, co -director of GCHR , spoke about the unfair trial of 94 human rights defenders and intellectuals in the UAE which concluded in July of last year and the continued use of the judicial process to attack dissent in the country.
Melanie Gingell, GCHR board member, spoke about a mission to Oman which exposed the use of torture against human rights defenders there. She dismissed the common misconception that Oman is a law abiding peaceful state. She described the repressive atmosphere of the country and the fear that is evident amongst people who have advocated for social justice and democracy in the country. She listed the arsenal of torture methods in use which include beatings, hooding, solitary confinement, subjection to extremes of temperatures and to constant noise, abuse and humiliation. The full report on Torture in Oman is available HERE.
Maryam Al-Khawaja, co-director of GCHR, talked about the ongoing abuse of human rights defenders in Saudi Arabia. Detained human rights defenders and activists continue to be subject to ill treatment and torture. She said that what really needed to change was the culture that put human rights defenders behind bars in the first place. That is the real challenge.
Jeremie Smith, director of the Geneva office of CIHRS, rounded up the meeting drawing out some common themes and pointing out the repressive strategies that are used across the region. He welcomed however that the UAE had received a visit from the UN special rapporteur for the independence of judges and lawyers from 28th January – 5th February of this year signaling a move to cooperate with UN special procedures.
The GCHR annual report and it’s report on Torture in Oman is available HERE
