The Kingdom Saturday rejected the recommendations made by Human Rights Council members and non-governmental organizations to abolish the death penalty and corporal punishment, reported the Saudi Press Agency (SPA). Addressing the 11th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Deputy Chairman of Saudi Human Rights Commission Dr. Zaid Bin Abdulmohsen Al-Hussein said the Kingdom was committed to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women ratified through a Royal Decree in 2000 and the Convention on the Rights of the Child ratified through a Royal Decree in 1995. He also stressed that there was no discrimination against foreign workers in the Kingdom. In a speech reviewing the Kingdom's Universal Periodic Report (UPR), Dr. Al-Hussein highlighted the Royal Decrees forming the Supreme Judicial Council, the Supreme Court, the Administrative Judicial Council and the Supreme Administrative Court, stressing that the Shoura Council has approved the system for combating human trafficking. He emphasized that the promotion of human rights requires constant and balanced efforts, taking into account social and cultural conditions. In this regard he drew attention to the initiative of King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, for dialogue among followers of various religions, cultures and civilizations. Member states of the Human Rights Council and non-governmental organizations recommended the adoption of the Kingdom's report, praising the progress made on human rights. Al-Hussein said most of the recommendations presented to the Kingdom in February 2009 were accepted. The Kingdom would continue with its commitment on human rights which are an inseparable part of the Shariah, he said. Al-Hussein, who was leading the Saudi delegation to the Geneva session, stressed that the Kingdom underlines dialogue as an effective way to avoid conflicts and disputes. This even covered deviants in an attempt to bring them back to the right path, he said. As to some points raised during the interactive dialogue, particularly those related to the death penalty, women and children, Al-Hussein said some of the comments confirm that the existing reality in the Kingdom has not been realized or the remarks are based on misinformation. __
