Introduction

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has had its human rights record reviewed through four cycles of Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism since its adoption. UPR is a mechanism affiliated with Human Rights Council and was established by United Nations General Assembly Resolution 251/60. Throughout the four reviews, Saudi Arabia received a total of 890 recommendations. While Saudi Arabia has clarified its position on recommendations presented in the first three reviews, it will provide clarification on the 354 recommendations received during the fourth cycle of revie no later than the 56th session of the Human Rights Council. While Saudi Arabia accepted a significant number of recommendations within the framework of the UPR mechanism, it has consistently rejected specific recommendations related to joining four out of the nine fundamental human rights conventions. These conventions include International Covenants on Civil and Political Rights, Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, and the Convention for the Protection of Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families. Additionally, Saudi Arabia continues to reject recommendations related to abolition of Death Penalty, asserting that the moratorium on its application is a reflection of each country's right to choose its own criminal justice system. Saudi Arabia also cites conflicts with Islamic Sharia and the Basic Law of Governance in the Kingdom as reasons for rejecting certain recommendations.

Since UPR mechanism inception in 2008, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has undergone four reviews. The first review took place on February 6, 2009, followed by the second on October 21, 2013, the third on November 5, 2018, and the most recent one on January 22, 2024. In this report, Maat aims to clarify Kingdom of Saudi Arabia position regarding the recommendations it has received. The report also analyzes whether these recommendations were partially or fully accepted, as well as the extent to which they have been implemented. It delves into the recommendations that Saudi Arabia rejected and provides insights into the reasons behind these rejections. The objective is to assess the level of Saudi Arabia cooperation with the UPR mechanism. The final part of this report focuses on categorizing the recommendations presented to Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during the fourth cycle of periodic review.