Featured Politics News World News

EU backs text rebuking Saudi Arabia at UN rights forum – diplomats

By Aliyu DANLADI

At least 36 countries, including all 28 EU members, have signed a statement criticising Saudi Arabia’s human rights record at the UN Human Rights Council on Thursday, diplomats said.

The statement is the first rebuke of the kingdom since the UN forum was set up in 2006.

The text, to be read out by Harald Aspelund, Iceland’s Ambassador to the Geneva talks, calls on Saudi authorities to release women activists and also to cooperate with a UN-led probe into the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at its Istanbul consulate on Oct. 2.

“It is a success for Europe to be united on this,” an envoy of an EU country said.

Some of the women, including those who campaigned for the right to drive, have been subjected to electric shocks, flogging, sexual assault and other forms of torture, activists say.

UN Human Rights Chief, Michelle Bachelet, called on Saudi Arabia on Wednesday to release women activists allegedly tortured in detention after authorities accused them of harming the country’s interests.

The Saudi deputy public prosecutor told Saudi-owned newspaper, Alsharq Alawsat, last week that his office had looked into media reports that the women were tortured and found no evidence, calling the reports “false”.—-Reuters

Related posts

NAHCO equipment rams into Air Peace aircraft at Lagos Airport

Our Reporter

MOMAN gets new executive secretary

Editor

Progressive governance involves provision of education, jobs, healthcare – Osinbajo

By Meletus EZE

General election will not be compromised by the security agencies- NSA

Editor

Refineries idle for 12 months, incur N142bn expenses

Our Reporter

Rivers State Sole Administrator Ibas appoints administrators for the states’s 23 LGAs

Editor