The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia failed to gain membership on the UN Human Rights Council’s 2021-2023 term, during elections held in the General Assembly Hall in New York on 13 October 2020.
Saudi Arabia had nominated itself for a seat in the Asia-Pacific group, which included four seats contested by five countries. While it was not inconceivable for Saudi Arabia to win due to the limited competition, it failed to obtain even the minimum required two-thirds of the votes, i.e., 128 out of the 193 countries that make up the United Nations General Assembly. Meanwhile, the other four countries in the race outperformed Saudi Arabia. China got the next lowest number of votes, beating Saudi Arabia by 49 votes, with Saudi Arabia getting only 90 votes, the lowest among all 16 countries running in the elections.
ESOHR believes that the refusal of many states to vote for Saudi Arabia is a logical response to its shameful toleration of the erosion of human rights.
ESOHR stresses that the lack of votes for Saudi Arabia from HRC member states, in addition to increasing criticisms over recent years, is the result of Saudi Arabia’s human rights practices and abuses, especially its ongoing war in Yemen. Moreover, Saudi Arabia executes adults and children, continues to detain and torture human rights advocates, and has a policy of impunity, particularly in the case of the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
In addition to individual criticisms, the lack of sufficient votes for Saudi Arabia appears to be an extension of joint positions taken by many states in issuing three statements criticizing Saudi Arabia in just two years: in September 2020, September 2019, and March 2019. Such a precedent would not have occurred if not for the persistent violations and dangerous developments that have escalated during the reign of King Salman.
Saudi Arabia has occupied a seat on the HRC four times previously, despite evidence that it was undeserving of the seat. Saudi Arabia’s violations have driven rights organizations to demand the suspension of its membership, based on UN General Assembly Resolution No. 60/251, that says, “the General Assembly, by a two-thirds majority of the members present and voting, may suspend the rights of membership in the Council of a member of the Council that commits gross and systematic violations of human rights.”
ESOHR emphasizes that the countries’ failure to elect Saudi Arabia is the most basic position that should be taken regarding its ongoing abuses. Saudi conduct and practices remain in need of much scrutiny and accountability.
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| Convention | Saudi Position | |
| 1 | International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination | Not Ratified |
| 2 | International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights | Not Ratified |
| 3 | International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights | Not Ratified |
| 4 | Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women | Ratified |
| 5 | Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment | Ratified |
| 6 | Convention on the Rights of the Child | Ratified |
| 7 | International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families | Not Ratified |
| 8 | Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities | Ratified |
| 9 | Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance | Not Ratified |
| The Special Rapporteur addressed questions to relevant governments and actors, including human rights organizations. | Visit Requests | Saudi Position |
| Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges | Visit completed in 2002 | Completed |
| Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons | Visit requested in 2005 | Ignored |
| Special Rapporteur on violence against women | Visit completed in 2008 | Completed |
| Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression | Visit requested in 2004 | Ignored |
| Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty | Visit completed in 2017 | Completed |
| Special Rapporteur on torture | Visit completed in 2017 | Completed |
| Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion | Visit requested in 2006
Reminder in 2008, 2009, 2018 |
Ignored |
| Special Rapporteur on the rights of the disabled | Visit requested in 2017 | Ignored |
| Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders | طلب زيارة 2012
تذكير 2019 |
Accepted, then ignored |
| Special Rapporteur on the right of assembly | طلب زيارة 2013
تذكير 2018 |
Ignored |
| Working Group on Discrimination Against Women | Visit requested in 2018 | Ignored |
| Special Rapporteur for foreign workers | Visit requested in 2018 | Ignored |
| Special Rapporteur on execution | طلب زيارة 2005 تذكير 2019 | Ignored |
| Special Rapporteur on torture | طلب زيارة 2006، تذكير 2019 | Ignored |
| Working Group on rights of Africans | Visit requested in 2020 | Ignored |
| Working Group on Arbitrary Detention | طلب زيارة 2008
تذكير 2011 |
Ignored |