Meeting

The National Institution for Human Rights (NIHR)’s Committee on Detention & Facilities Visitation convened its 17^th meeting by videoconferencing under the chairpersonship of Dr. Malallah Alhammadi and membership of Dr. Fawzeya Alsaleh and Mrs. Deena Alladhi.

The Committee opened its meeting by discussing the actions taken with regard to all its previous resolutions and recommendations, including the requests of a number of inmates of the Correction and Rehabilitation Centre in Jaw region, in light of the recent visit conducted by the Committee with the aim to review those requests, pursuant to the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners as well as the provisions of the relevant domestic laws, and to ensure their enjoyment of various human rights.

The Committee also touched on the course of its visit to the Foreign Male Deportation Centre in the southern region (Alba), during which it closely examined the conditions of foreigners covered by the royal pardon, and followed-up on the actions taken by their embassies and consulates in the State to facilitate the procedures for their return to their countries, especially in light of the current exceptional situation witnessed by the Kingdom and the whole world. 

The Committee stated that based upon the oversight and human rights role assigned to the NIHR pursuant to its Incorporation Law, which granted it broad powers to conduct field visits to correction and rehabilitation centres to ascertain the living conditions of the inmates of those centres and to ensure their enjoyment of their basic human rights, the NIHR will seriously continue to conduct its field visits to correction and rehabilitation centres to ensure that all inmates of those centres enjoy their right to practice their religious rites, especially during the Ashura season, in accordance with the laws, regulations and directives of the concerned authorities with regard to adherence to precautionary measures, including social distancing.