Human rights body backs anti-discrimination laws
JEDDAH: The National Society for Human Rights (NSHR) has affirmed its support for anti-discrimination laws.
In a recent tweet, the NSHR said: “The principle of #No_discrimination is a comprehensive principle in international human rights law. It has been affirmed by all major human rights treaties.”
The NSHR is striving to contribute to building a just and equal society in accordance with the Islamic laws that call for tolerance and reject injustice and extremism.
The rights body has affirmed that discrimination in the provision of services or in organizational policies is a blatant violation of laws.
Dima Al-Shareef, a Saudi legal expert, told Arab News: “A project to study discriminatory practices was launched under the umbrella of the Saudi Shoura Council.”
According to the expert, based on the study new recommendations would be proposed and put to the vote for further action.
“The (existing legal) system proposes seven-year imprisonment and a fine starting from SR500,000 ($133,290) for anyone (found guilty of) contempt for a particular religion or group or race,” Al-Shareef added.
She explained that racial discrimination is defined in Article 1 of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination in 1965.
It states that racial discrimination is “any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on race, color, descent or national origin or ethnic groups, that targets or entails the disruption or impediment to the recognition, enjoyment or equal exercise of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life.”