A coalition of human rights organizations on Wednesday called on United Nations member states to refrain from voting for Saudi Arabia in the upcoming Human Rights Council election, scheduled for October 9.
The joint appeal was led by groups such as Human Rights Watch (HRW) and the International Service for Human Rights. They have cited Saudi Arabia’s ongoing record of human rights violations as grounds for rejecting its candidacy for the Council.
The statement cites many examples of alleged human rights violations and international crimes. For example, recent reports have accused Saudi forces of mass killings along its border with Yemen, where migrants and asylum seekers have been shot. These accusations are compounded by the kingdom’s continued enforcement of the death penalty, including the execution of individuals who were minors at the time of their alleged offenses. The rights organizations also pointed to allegations that women’s rights campaigners were subjected to travel bans, and the lack of accountability for the Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman following his alleged approval of the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, according to a US intelligence assessment.
They argue Saudi Arabia fails to meet the criteria set by UN General Assembly Resolution 60/251, which established the Human Rights Council. The resolution stipulates that member states must consider a candidate’s commitment to promoting and protecting human rights when voting. The resolution also requires Council members to fully cooperate with the Council and its mechanisms. According to critics, this is something Saudi Arabia has failed to do by consistently refusing to allow country visits by UN special procedures in an effort to isolate itself from international scrutiny. Allowing Saudi Arabia to secure a seat on the Human Rights Council would undermine both the standards expected of UN council members and the credibility of the worldwide governance institution.
HRW similarly urged the UN General Assembly members to not vote for Saudi Arabia as well as China in the previous election; still, China was elected to the Human Rights Council in 2023.
