Law in the land of the faithful

With regard to penalties and punishments, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia applies the provisions of Islamic Shariah concerning the imposition of fixed penalties prescribed in the Holy Quran and the discretionary penalties decided upon by the courts, which are inflicted on the offender and constitute a deterrent to others.

Under the Kingdom’s laws, it is the duty of the judges to consider carefully every piece of evidence presented to them. The public prosecutor’s department provides facilities to the accused as well as to the prosecution. The Embassy of the country concerned is immediately informed and all consular facilities are provided forthwith. According to the Kingdom’s laws, every human being is treated equally and no consideration is attached to nationality or religion.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s foreign policy is based on mutual understanding and non-interference and has always recognised the economic interdependence that exists between countries consuming oil and those producing it. We have always endeavored to stabilise the oil price at a level which takes into account the needs of both producers and consumers. The Kingdom is well known as a good host and a peaceful country, as millions of foreigners — among them 1.5 million Indians, the highest expatriates from any single country, are staying and contributing to its development.

Human Rights are enshrined in the Basic Law of the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which specifically says “The State protects Human Rights in accordance with the Islamic Shariah.” The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has consistently co-operated with the United Nations Human Rights mechanism, which it supports in the endeavour to protect human rights. It has accepted the three international instruments. (The convention on the rights to Child. The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and Convention against Torture and other Cruel Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment) and is currently studying other instruments with a view to acceding thereto.

Saudi Arabia’s ulemas are true, faithful, broad-minded followers of the teaching of the Holy Quran and Sunnab (Traditions of Prophet PBUH) and thus formulate Islamic laws according to the accepted trends of law in Islam. These ulemas were never handicapped by a situation which confronted many countries. They did not face any imposed foreign law as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was never under any colonial rule.

The writer is Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to India