Saudi king approves creation of non-governmental human rights organization

Saudi Arabia's foreign minister Prince Saud al-Faisal announced the creation of an independent human rights organization that will not be subject to governmental interference.

Saudi Arabia's foreign minister Prince Saud al-Faisal has denied that the human rights committee the approval by Saudi Arabia's King Fahd bin Abdul Aziz came under foreign pressure, stressing that the decision is for maintaining the internal development.

In a press statement, the Saudi foreign minister said that the committee which was approved by King Fahd, and was the first of its kind in the Kingdom "will be completely independent and that King Fahd is careful to maintain its independence, (and the organization) will not be tracked (monitored) by anyone (in government)."

Prince Saud al-Faisal added that the Saudi king issued a decision to found a people's committee for human rights and it will be declared shortly. He continued that "a group of Saudis had asked for the founding of the committee and their request was fulfilled," adding "the objective is to maintain the internal situation and we are proceeding with reforms as much as required by the Saudi people." The Saudi minister also disclosed the formation of a governmental committee for human rights. He said that "a human rights governmental committee is formed also "and each of the two committees will conduct different missions."

Al-Faisal explained that "the governmental committee will be concerned with implementing government's decisions on human rights and reformulating laws so as to cope with the constituent of the Saudi rule which concentrates on the human rights."