Human Rights Commission

Regulation

Council of Ministers Resolution No. 207

Dated 8 Sha’ban 1426H / 12 September 2005

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Article (1):

There shall be established, in accordance with this Law, a commission

named the “Human Rights Commission” which reports directly to the
President of the Council of Ministers. It aims to protect and enhance
human rights according to international standards for human rights in all
aspects, and to promote public awareness thereof and participate in
ensuring implementation of the same in light of the provisions of Shari’ah.
The Commission shall be the government authority in charge of providing
opinion and counsel in matters relating to human rights.

Article (2):
The Commission shall enjoy a corporate personality with full authority to
perform its tasks provided for in this Law. Its head office shall be in the
city of Riyadh, and it may open branches and establish offices in other
provinces in the Kingdom.

Article (3):
The Commission shall have a chairman appointed pursuant to a Royal
Order at the grade of a minister, as well as a vice-chairman, to be
appointed by a Royal Order at an excellent grade.

Article (4):
The Commission shall have a board to be named (the Commission’s
Board). It shall be formed as follows:

(a) Chairman of the Commission: Chairman

(b) Vice-chairman of the Commission: Vice-chairman
(c) A minimum of eighteen members appointed for a period of
four renewable years pursuant to an order by the President of the
Council of Ministers. They shall be highly qualified in Shari’ah, law,
political sciences or education, and renowned for their integrity,
competency and expertise in the field of human rights. They shall

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 work on full-time basis in the Commission during the period of their
membership.
(d) A minimum of six part-time members appointed for a period
of four renewable years pursuant to an order by the President of the
Council of Ministers. They shall be known for their interest in human
rights. These members shall be entitled to attend meetings without
the right to vote.

Article (5):
The Commission’s Board shall have the ultimate authority over the
Commission’s affairs. It shall take all necessary means to achieve its
purposes within the limits of this Law, especially the following:
(1) Ascertain the implementation of existing rules and regulations
related to human rights by the concerned government authorities,
uncover any infringements of laws applicable in the Kingdom that
constitute a violation of human rights, and take necessary legal
measures in this respect.
(2) Provide opinions on draft laws pertaining to human rights,
review existing laws and propose amendments thereto in
accordance with legal procedures.
(3) Monitor government agencies’ implementation of
international human rights instruments to which the Kingdom is a
party, and ensure that such agencies take all necessary measures
for their implementation.
(4) Provide opinions on international instruments pertaining to
human rights with regard to the Kingdom’s accession to them, or to
provisions stipulated therein.
(5) Approve the Kingdom’s reports on human rights. The
Chairman of the Commission shall bring necessary reports before
the President of the Council of Ministers.

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 (6) Visit prisons and detention centers at any time without
permission from the competent authority, and bring reports on
them before the President of the Council of Ministers.
(7) Receive and verify complaints related to human rights and
take the legal measures pertaining to them.
(8) Devise a public policy for promoting awareness of human
rights, and propose methods to promote human rights culture
through institutions and agencies in charge of education, training,
media, etc.
(9) Approve the publication of circulars, magazines and other
printed materials related to the Commission’s objectives and
powers.
(10) Approve the Commission’s annual report, and the annual report
on the status of human rights in the Kingdom and bring them
before the President of the Council of Ministers.
(11) Approve the draft budget of the Commission and its closing
account, and bring them before the President of the Council of
Ministers in accordance with legal procedures.
(12) Cooperate with national, regional and international societies,
organizations and institutions working in the field of human rights
to achieve the commission’s objectives and improve its relations.
(13) Approve the organizing of national and international conferences
and seminars on human rights issues, and participate in them in
accordance with relevant legal procedures.
(14) Approve the filing and rebuttal of lawsuits in issues pertaining to
human rights.
(15) Approve administrative and financial regulations and the rights
and privileges of Commission’s Board members and collaborators,
in agreement with the Ministry of Civil Service and the Ministry of
Finance.

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 (16) Assign all or some of the Commission’s Board members -
appointed according to paragraph (c), Article (4) of this Law - to
supervise the different departments of the Commission.
(17) Establish other departments in agreement with the Ministry of
Civil Service and the Ministry of Finance.
(18) Form permanent or ad hoc committees, from members or others,
to perform specific tasks falling within the powers of the Board.

Article (6):
The Commission’s Board may invite representatives of ministries, other
government agencies and private institutions when considering an issue
pertaining to those parties.

Article (7):

The Commission’s Board shall convene at least once a month, or

whenever the need arises, following an invitation from the Chairman or
the Vice-chairman or upon the request of one third of its members. The
meeting shall not be considered valid unless attended by a majority of the
Board members, including the Chairman or the Vice-chairman.

Article (8):
The Commission’s Board shall issue its decisions and recommendations
by a majority vote of the attending voting members. In case of a tie, the
Chairman’s side shall prevail.

Article (9):

The Chairman shall manage, represent and run the Commission according
to its powers and duties and supervise the progress of its work. To that
effect, he may do the following:

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 (1) Supervise the preparation of administrative and financial
regulations adopted by the Commission in preparation to submitting
them to the Commission’s Board.
(2) Approve financial procedures in accordance with the relevant
applicable laws and regulations.
(3) Supervise the flow of work in the Commission through
adopted regulations.
(4) Supervise the preparation of the Commission’s annual report
and the annual report on the status of human rights in the Kingdom
in preparation to refer them to the Commission’s Board.
(5) Supervise the preparation of the Commission's annual budget
and the closing accounts pending their referral to the Commission’s
Board.
(6) Represent the Commission at government agencies, and
other agencies and institutions in the Kingdom and abroad.
(7) Bring the Kingdom's reports on human rights before the
President of the Council of Ministers upon their approval by the
Commission’s Board in accordance with paragraph (5) of Article (5)
of this Law.
Article (10):
The Commission’s Vice-chairman shall assist the Chairman when present
and assumes his responsibilities in his absence.

Article (11):

The Commission shall consist of the following departments:

(a) Department of Legal Affairs, Studies and Research:

It shall provide comparative Shari’ah and legal counsel
with regard to human rights issues and matters referred
to it by the Commission’s Board or its Chairman, as well
as contribute in drafting the Kingdom’s periodic reports
required as result of its accession to international human

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 rights instruments and prepare rebuttals to lawsuits
related to human rights issues or initiate them.

(b) Department of International Relations and Organizations

It shall coordinate with international organizations
concerned with human rights issues, whether
governmental or non-governmental, and other relevant
institutions, and follow up cases of Saudis whose rights
are violated abroad.

(c) Department of Complaints:

It shall receive complaints from individuals, institutions,
organizations and others with regard to human rights
issues, and verify them in preparation for their referral to
the relevant department at the Commission.

(d) Department of Follow-up and Investigation:

It shall follow up any complaint until it is resolved and
visit prisons and detention centers – at the discretion of
the Commission’s Board in this regard and with no
permission from the competent authority - and
investigate human rights violations, and report results to
the Commission’s Board.

(e) Department of Public Relations:

It shall coordinate among the relevant departments within
the Commission, attend to requests referred to it by the
Commission’s Board or its Chairman in this respect, follow
media coverage of human rights and assist in the
organization of relevant conferences and symposia.

(f) Department of Financial and Administrative Affairs:

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 It shall follow-up the Commission’s personnel affairs,
budget, properties and whatever is required for the
running of its business.

Article (12):

A center for publication, information, documentation and translation in

the human rights field shall be established. It shall be managed by a full-
time Board member, nominated by the Chairman of the Commission. This
Center shall aim at spreading the basic principles and concepts of human
rights which are consistent with the provisions of Shari'ah and
establishing its culture and cooperating with international organizations,
government and non-government institutions involved in enhancing
human rights. The Center, in particular, shall have the following tasks:
(1) Supervising the organization of human rights conferences,
and symposia held in the Kingdom.
(2) Promoting the culture of human rights including conducting
comparative studies on Shari’ah and international human rights
instruments, educating citizens, and seeking the assistance of
competent institutions and agencies in education, information and
culture.
(3) Preparing circulars, magazines and publications related to the
Commission’s objectives and powers.
(4) Preparing the Commission’s annual report for referral to the
Commission’s Board.
(5) Organizing special courses in the Kingdom to promote
awareness in the field of human rights for employees of human
rights agencies and other interested parties.
(6) Documenting whatever is related to human rights and
translating it from and into the Arabic language.

Article (13):
Human rights departments in relevant Ministries or government agencies
shall act as liaison officers for the Commission.

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Article (14):

The Commission may seek the assistance, as needed, of an adequate

number of experts, specialists and qualified personnel to perform its
duties as provided for in this Regulation.

Article (15):

Employees of the Commission shall be subject to the Civil Service Law

and its Regulations, as well as the Civil Pension Law. Workers in the
Commission shall be subject to the Labor Law and the Social Insurance
Law.

Article (16):

All government agencies shall provide the Commission, upon its request,
with any data or information related to its work in order to enable it to
carry out the tasks assigned to it.

Article (17):

(1) The Commission shall have a separate budget prepared and

issued in accordance with the procedures of the state general
budget. The Commission’s funds shall be comprised of the
following:
(a) The Commission’s allocations in the state budget.
(b) Income generated from activities within the
Commission’s powers.
(c) Donations, aids, grants and wills accepted by the
Commission in accordance with the rules set by the
Commission’s Board.
(d) Other resources that the Commission’s Board decides to
add to the Commission’s funds.
(2) The Commission’s fiscal year shall start with the state’s fiscal
year and end with it. In exception to this, the Commission’s first

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 fiscal year shall start from the date this Regulation comes into
effect.

Article (18):

The Commission shall bring its closing account before the President of the
Council of Ministers within three months at the latest from the end of the
fiscal year. The Commission shall provide a copy of its closing account
and copy of its annual report to the General Audit Bureau.

Article (19):

This Regulation shall be published in the Official Gazette and shall come
into effect sixty days from the date of its publication.

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