HRC provides its services to citizens and residents without discrimination.
HRC’s HQ is located in Riyadh, having branches in Medina, Jeddah, Dammam, Abha, Buraydah, Hail, Tabuk, Sakaka, Arar, Jazan, Najran.
The Human Rights Commission is established by virtue of a Resolution of the Council of Ministers of Saudi Arabia. HRC is the authority vested with the jurisdiction to express opinion and extend advice as regards human rights issues. Reporting directly to His Majesty the King, HRC has a judicial personality and enjoys full autonomy in the exercise of its tasks set forth in the statute.
- Complaint is submitted by the aggrieved person or his legal representative, who shall have a direct right to complain.
- Report is submitted by a person who is not personally aggrieved, and who has no direct right in the matter of the report.
- Consultation is provided by a person who has a direct right to the subject of consultation, and consultation provided thereto by HRC at his request.
HRC is managed by a Chairman in the rank of minister, assisted by a Deputy in the Excellent Grade. HRC’s Board of Directs is the dominant authority over HRC affairs and management thereof. The Board comprises the HRC Chairman as the Board Chairman, his Deputy as Vice-Chairman, 18 members at least as full-time members, and six part-time members.
- Valid ID or Residence Permit (Iqama).
- POA in case submission is on behalf of the complainant.
- Detail explanation of the complaint’s subject matter.
- Detail description of requests.
- Completed application form.
- Copy of judicial rulings issued on the complaint’s subject matter, if any.
- Copy of any document or evidence related to the complaint’s subject matter.
- Complainant’s signature on copies of such documents.
Noting that such requirements may change according to the method of complaint filing and nature of its subject matter.
You can contact HRC through the following means:
- Unified Call Center (19922).
- E-mail: info@hrc.gov.sa
- Beneficiary Services Account on Twitter @HRCSaudi.
- The “Contact Us” Platform on HRC Website.
Saudi Arabia has acceded to several international instruments and conventions, most notably:
- Convention on the Rights of the Child
- International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.
- Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.
- Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.
- Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
- Arab Charter on Human Rights.
Human rights in the Kingdom are every right endorsed by the Islamic Sharia, the applicable regulations, or the international agreements to which the Kingdom has acceded.
According to its statute, HRC has a number of specializations, most notably:
- Ensure that the relevant government agencies enforce laws and regulations in force with regard to human rights, detect abuses that violate laws applicable in KSA or human rights, and take necessary legal measures in such regard.
- Express opinions on draft regulations related to human rights, review regulations in-force and propose their amendment as per legal procedures.
- Supervise government agencies to enforce corresponding international human rights instruments to which the Kingdom has acceded, and ensure those agencies take necessary measures to implement such instruments.
- Express opinions on international human rights instruments, with regard to the Kingdom’s accession thereto, or provisions contained therein.
- Approve the Kingdom’s reports related to human rights, and submit critical reports by HRC Chairman to the King.
- Visit prisons and endowment (waqf) centers at any time without permission from the competent authority, and submit reports thereon to the King.
- Receive and verify complaints related to human rights, and take legal action in this regard.
- Enact general policies to raise awareness on human rights and propose ways to spread the human rights culture, through institutions and agencies specialized in education, training, media and others.
- Cooperate with national, regional and international associations, organizations and institutions working in the field of human rights in order to realize HRC objectives and foster relations.
Procedures taken regarding the complaint vary according to the examination’s outcome, as the competent team decides any of the following procedures:
- Just Provide Consultation to the Requester: In case there are procedures need to be reasonably taken by the complainant, or the complaint does not fall within HRC competence, such as complaints related to objections to judicial rulings.
- Field Visit: In case the complaint subject requires a field visit to the complainant/complaint site, issue an inspection report or document information, thus, addressing the complaint subject matter directly whenever possible.
- Coordination with the Competent Authority: This is carried out through official correspondence or telephone communication with the liaison officer specified by HRC.
All citizens and residents can submit a complaint through the following basic means:
- Visit any of HRC’s branches.
- E-Services Portal on HRC Website.
- “HAQ” app for smart phones.
- Postal address.
Complaints can also be received through the following exceptional means if contact via previous means has failed:
- Unified Call Center (19922)
- E-mail: info@hrc.gov.sa
- Beneficiary Services Twitter account @HRCSaudi
- Field visits.