DHAKA: Saudi Arabia’s rights record came under fire at the United Nations on Monday, with critics accusing the kingdom of jailing activists without due process and abusing the basic rights of Saudi women and foreign workers.

At the UN Human Rights Council, Britain called for abolition of the Saudi system of male guardianship for women and was joined by the United States in raising cases of forced labour imposed on migrant workers.

The US delegation also voiced concern at Saudi restrictions on freedoms of religion and of association, while Germany called for a moratorium on its use of the death penalty.

‘Many countries have problematic records, but Saudi Arabia stands out for its extraordinarily high levels of repression and its failure to carry out its promises to the Human Rights Council,’ Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement to the meeting, reports The Straits Times.

BDST: 1749 HRS, OCT 21, 2013
RoR/GCP