Saudi Ministry of Education to showcase innovations at 2025 Geneva International Exhibition    7,523 violators of residency, labor, and border security laws deported in a week    Video contradicts Israeli army account of deadly March 23 strike on Gaza paramedics    Saudi Arabia spends over $241 million to implement de-mining projects in 3 countries    Italy's Meloni government approves controversial security decree expanding police protections and penalties    Egypt submits new Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange proposal: Report    'Everything is possible' — Ronaldo focused on titles, not 1,000-goal milestone after Riyadh Derby win    Saudi, US military leaders discuss enhanced defense cooperation in Riyadh    King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language launches program with Indiana University    Ronaldo brace powers Al Nassr past Al Hilal in Riyadh derby thriller    Ed Sheeran weaves Persian music into new song, Azizam    Al-Jadaan: Crown Prince's directives confirm government's ability to bring back balance to real estate market    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Foreign investors are allowed to engage in real estate business outside Makkah and Madinah Commercial speculation should not be the purpose of real estate transaction    Aubameyang fires Al Qadsiah into King's Cup final with stoppage-time winner over Al Raed    Musk's X is suing India, as Tesla and Starlink plan entry    Tesla sales plunge after backlash against Elon Musk    Danilo Pereira fires Al Ittihad into King's Cup final with dramatic stoppage-time double    Screen time in bed linked to insomnia, study finds    Mexico bans junk food in schools to fight childhood obesity epidemic    Sweet sales surge ahead of Eid as Saudi chocolate imports top 123 million kg in 2024    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    King Salman prays for peace and stability for Palestinians in Ramadan message King reaffirms Saudi Arabia's commitment to serving the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Where are the human rights defenders in the time of COVID-19?
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 20 - 04 - 2020

As the COVID-19 pandemic rages across borders, continents and races, forcing nearly a third of the world's population into quarantine, lockdown and social distancing, Saudi Arabia has raised the bar on human rights by caring for all in the country — Saudi citizens, residents, stranded visitors as well as each and every one of all those living in the Kingdom in violation of residency regulations.
Urgently facing up to the pandemic on purely humanitarian grounds, without populist rhetoric or nationalist hyperbole, the Saudi government announced a series of painful but well studied precautionary measures that did not differentiate between citizen and resident.
The leadership's resolve to save lives without discrimination saw all health facilities activated to guarantee everyone access to the necessary services in a safe medical environment.
The Saudi leadership has remained committed, since the first Saudi state, to protecting human rights through jurisprudence and legal institutions that uphold the finest conduct for delivering justice in protecting individual and society. The approach is firm and straightforward.
As such, it is pertinent to note that Dr. Awad Al-Awwad, chairman of the Human Rights Commission (HRC), has cautioned that, "human rights are not slogans that are launched, but rather practices on the ground, and in crises there will be no value other than working to address what affects human rights."
This precisely is the value that Saudi Arabia upholds foremost in the ongoing pandemic, as demonstrated by the prompt actions taken on the ground to treat all equally for access to medical care and protection against COVID-19.
In this context, the statement of the British Embassy in Kuwait telling its citizens to manage their affairs on their own and borrow money from their friends and families to get by if need be, is utterly shocking.
Equally haunting are the images and videos widely circulated of the human tragedy unfolding in other countries as ethnic Chinese people, religious minorities, immigrant labor, the poor and helpless are hounded, beaten or abandoned in clear violation of their human rights.
Covid-19 had thrown up unprecedented human rights violations and challenges across the world. Yet, ironically against this backdrop, false allegations of human rights violations continue to be hurled against Saudi Arabia, which has, on the contrary, taken the lead in trying to mitigate the impact of this worst pandemic ever facing mankind by hosting the G20 summit that has led to unprecedented measures supporting human health worldwide, including the Kingdom's transparent actions guaranteeing care for all.
The question is, have the Human Rights Commission, the international community and the Western analysts who control and propagate a false human rights narrative abandoned human rights in the time of COVID-19, when it really matters for all?


Clic here to read the story from its source.