Expressing the sense of the Congress regarding the Government of Saudi Arabia's lack of protection of internationally recognized human rights and the absence of religious freedom in Saudi Arabia.

Summary

Calls on the Government Saudi Arabia to: (1) uphold its international commitments by respecting and protecting the human rights of citizens and foreigners of both sexes in Saudi Arabia; (2) ratify and comply fully with international human rights instruments and cooperate with United Nations human rights mechanisms, and to sign, ratify, and implement the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; (3) implement immediately promised judicial, political, economic, and educational reforms; (4) permit the establishment of independent nongovernmental organizations to advance human rights and promote tolerance, and to take action to create an independent human rights commission for the same purposes; (5) safeguard the freedom of non-Muslims, and of those Muslims who do not follow the Wahhabi interpretation of Islam, to worship in private; (6) permit non-Wahhabi places of worship, such as churches, to function openly in special compounds or zones for foreigners or in unadorned buildings designated for this purpose; and (7) permit the broadcasting of Radio Sawa throughout the country. Urges the U.S. Government to: (1) to raise concerns at the highest levels, in both public and private fora, with the Government of Saudi Arabia regarding its ongoing and repeated human rights violations; (2) designate Saudi Arabia a "country of particular concern" under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 for its systematic and ongoing violations of religious freedom; (3) encourage the Government of Saudi Arabia to implement expeditiously its publicly stated plans for judicial, political, economic, and educational reform; (4) develop and expand specific initiatives and programs in Saudi Arabia to advance human rights, including religious freedom, the rights of women, and the rule of law; and (4) report publicly to Congress on its efforts to raise concerns regarding human rights, including religious freedom, with the Government of Saudi Arabia, including the results of those efforts.

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3 official files

• Introduced in House (text)

  Introduced in House · EN · 15 July 2003

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• Introduced in House (PDF)

  Introduced in House · EN · 15 July 2003

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• Introduced in House

  summary · EN · 15 July 2003

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