Sign-on Letter: Saudi Arabia’s Seat on the UN Human Rights Council

┬á ┬á ┬á ┬á ┬á ┬á ┬á ┬á ┬á ┬á ┬á ┬á ┬á ┬á ┬á ┬á ┬á ┬á ┬áPrince Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein

Does your secular group┬áwant┬áto help SPI in a charge to maintain the integrity of the United Nations Human Rights Council?

The UNHRCÔÇÖs website prominently features a 2007 quote by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, ÔÇ£All victims of human rights abuses should be able to look to the Human Rights Council as a forum and a springboard for action.ÔÇØ ┬áThe Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a UN-member state and therefore now eligible for a seat on the UNHRC. ┬áThe Consultative Group is tasked with reviewing and assigning applicants to serve as ÔÇ£Special RapporteursÔÇØ and other ÔÇ£Independent InvestigatorsÔÇØ for human rights abuses around the planet. Beyond the high profile cases of condemning a teenager (Ali Mohammed al-Nimr) to death for participating in protesting for democracy, and sentencing a blogger (Raif Badawi) to degrading physical abuse and a lengthy prison sentence for expressing critique; the Kingdom sentenced Saudi rights lawyer Walid abu al-Khair to 15 years for ÔÇ£breaking allegianceÔÇØ to the monarchy by founding and directing the organization ÔÇ£Monitor of Human Rights in Saudi Arabia.ÔÇØ

We urge┬áPrince Al Hussein┬áthat because of their long history of a flagrant disregard for basic human rights, we request reconsideration or probationary status applied to Saudi ArabiaÔÇÖs inclusion in the Consultative Group. ┬áThe deadline is November 16, sign on with SPI!