Maat welcomes Saudi Arabia's accession to the Arab Court of Human Rights

Maat: We call on the Arab countries to accelerate the ratification of the Arab Charter and the statute of the court

Arab mechanisms are able to protect rights in light of the challenges of terrorism, the Israeli occupation and Iranian interference

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In a positive step, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia deposited its instruments of ratification of the Statute of the Arab Court for Human Rights, which was approved by the League of Arab States during the twenty-fifth session in March 2014, and the Maat Foundation for Peace and Development welcomes this step, which will enhance the role of the Arab regional mechanisms for the protection of human rights, and calls The rest of the Arab countries that have not yet ratified the Arab Charter should hasten to take ratification procedures, as well as hasten to ratify the statute of the Arab Human Rights Court.

It is worth noting that the Arab Court of Human Rights is competent - in accordance with its statute - with all cases arising from the application and interpretation of the Arab Charter on Human Rights or any other Arab agreement in the field of human rights to which the disputing countries are a party, and the court also settles any dispute arising over its jurisdiction.

Maat Foundation for Peace, Development and Human Rights affirms that any steps that would activate the Arab mechanisms to protect human rights will benefit the Arab citizen, and go beyond the perceived lack of the ability of international mechanisms - so far - to push countries, governments and groups to adhere to abstract human rights rules away from political auctions. Or the diplomatic capabilities of some countries.

The Foundation believes that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia depositing its ratification documents will stimulate other Arab countries to take a similar step, which opens the door to hope for the court's statute to enter into force, as the statute of the charter stipulates its entry into force. And it shall come into effect one year after the date of its entry into force.

The Maat Foundation for Peace, Development and Human Rights, and based on its extended interest in strengthening human rights protection mechanisms, and its endeavor for many years to activate the role of these mechanisms and its close cooperation with them - which culminated recently in the foundation's acquisition of the consultative status in the United Nations Economic and Social Council - believes that the cultural framework converges. The social, unity of challenges and common destiny among Arab countries, and what the Arab civilization has provided to human heritage over hundreds of years are all factors that create a favorable opportunity for the success of the current Arab mechanisms in achieving tangible progress in human rights conditions in the Arab region.

The cultural, political and societal context in which the Arab Charter for Human Rights interacts and the mechanisms emanating from and complementing it, such as the Arab Human Rights Committee, the Arab Court for Human Rights requires all Arab countries and their executive and legislative powers and civil society forces in them to join hands to provide justifications for the success of the Charter and its mechanisms, which can be done. Had the political will been available and accelerated steps were taken along the lines of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The Arab region has been going through difficult challenges in recent years, as it is still a cherished and sacred part of its lands under the yoke of the brutal Israeli occupation that does not respect international resolutions and principles of international humanitarian law and violates the basic rights of the Palestinian people. The region has also been afflicted with the expansion of terrorist groups that practice murder and violence and seek To break up countries and leap over the Arab Spring revolutions, and the national armies in Egypt, Tunisia, Libya and other countries are waging a fierce war to limit them and confront their threats to the citizens' right to life, security and development, in addition to that the Iranian moves that target the security of the Arab Gulf states, Yemen and Syria, which represent blatant and non-violent interference. Justification in the affairs of neighboring countries, as well as their continued occupation of Emirati Arab lands in the Arab Gulf.

If we take into account the severe weakness of the global system in the ability to safeguard the rights and freedoms of peoples, then the importance of the role that Arab mechanisms of a regional character can play in confronting those challenges that the region is going through and ensuring that the required level of respect is met Human rights and public freedoms, therefore, Maat Foundation confirms its appeal to the parliaments and governments of Arab countries to ratify the Arab Charter and the Statute of the Court and to deposit its instruments of ratification with the Arab League as soon as possible.

About the Maat Foundation

Maat for Peace, Development and Human Rights is an Egyptian non-governmental organization that holds the consultative status of the Economic and Social Council at the United Nations, and has been active since 2005 in issues of respecting human rights and promoting democracy and development at the local and regional levels, and the institution does not have any political, ideological or ethnic biases, and derives its basic reference It is a human rights standard that respects national constitutions and the cultural and social frameworks of peoples, and believes that human rights reform is a participatory task that is accomplished through dialogue and positive interaction between all stakeholders.