Saudi+Arabia.KI

**Saudi Arabia: **  **Primary Documents:** http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2007/100605.htm __Explanation__-This is a U.S. Department of State document reporting on the condition of Saudi Arabia in human rights and labor. It states the basic rights given to its citizens through the 1992 Basic Law and the government's interpretation of the Islamic Law, known as Shari'a. Such rights given are the freedom from torture in order to produce confessions while being held in custody of the police, the limitation of being held under arrest without charges being filed for up to five days, and the right to a lawyer who can present arguments in criminal courts. However, as mentioned in the second paragraph of this document, many significant human rights problem were still reported, including arbitrary arrest and detention, the denial of fair public trials, and discrimination based on gender, religion, and ethnicity. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PriGVp4jFyM&feature=related __Explanation__-This is footage of the UN Human Rights Council discussing the human rights in Saudi Arabia. Many of the countries applauded Saudi Arabia in their developments to strengthen human rights and the human rights that are guaranteed under their law. However, the U.S. Department of State Country Report still noted problems in Human Rights practices, including, but not limited to, restrictions on civil liberties, abuse and torture towards prisoners, and descrimination against women. **Artifacts:** http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2010/10/18/saudi-arabia-where-fathers-rule-and-courts-oblige __Explanations__- Women throughout Saudi Arabia are being deprived of their rights because of the ability for fathers have been given. Fathers have been granted the opportunity to interfere significantly with their adult daughters' lives, going as far as preventing marriage or even taking custody of a grandchild. Many women are charged with "disobedience" towards their fathers and the courts deny these adult women the right to live on their own. http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2010/09/02/saudi-arabia-domestic-worker-brutalized __Explanation__- Many domestic workers are being abused by their employers in Saudi Arabia. Under Saudi law, there are about 1.5 million domestic workers who are excluding from protection of the labor law. In 2005, an annex was drafted by the government to specify these worker's rights and duties and their limits to working hours and annual leave, which was approved by the Shura Council in 2009. However, the Council of Ministers has yet to pass it, leaving domestic workers to have to endure the abuse put on them. They continue to be overworked, unfairly compensated for labor, and often trapped inside their employer's homes. http://www.indianexpress.com/news/saudi-arabia-suppresses-rights-of-millions-human-rights-watch/741669/ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> __Explanation__-This article describes the several reports on the violation of human rights throughout Saudi Arabia. Human Rights Watch has reported that there have been descrimination against Shiites, unfair compensation for labor, and poor working conditions where workers are deprived of food and suffer from psychological, physical, and sexual abuse. One other issue also stressed is the male guardianship system. In one instance, a 40 year old female doctor was forced to live in a womens' shelter because her father took away her income and refused to let her marry.