This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

021142Z Jan 06

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RIYADH 000006 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NEA/ARPI FOR SHUKAN, PARIS FOR ZEYA, LONDON FOR TSOU 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/02/2016 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL SA
SUBJECT: SAUDI HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST FREE TO TRAVEL, 
ENCOURAGED BY PROSPECT OF REFORM 
 
REF: 05 RIYADH 4737 
 
Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Michael Gfoeller for reasons 
1.4 (b, d). 
 
¶1.  (C)  Summary: Ibrahim Mugaiteeb, President of the Saudi 
NGO, "Human Rights First" (HRF), informed poloff that the SAG 
had returned his Saudi passport, and will allow him to travel 
to Germany to receive medical attention.  Mugaiteeb also 
stated that he had met with the chairman of the National 
Human Rights Society (NHRS), Dr. Turki bin Khaled Al-Sudairi, 
who helped him secure the return of his passport.  In those 
discussions, Mugaiteeb agreed to serve as an "unofficial" 
advisor to Dr. Al-Sudairi and the NHRS.  The NHRS, whose 
chairman reports directly to King Abdullah, announced that it 
was officially open to receive complaints and petitions from 
Saudi citizens and expatriates concerning human rights 
issues.  Mugaiteeb is optimistic about human rights reform 
efforts in the Kingdom, and about the work of the NHRS. End 
Summary. 
 
¶2.  (C)  During a December 15 telephone conversation, Ibrahim 
Mugaiteeb (please protect), President of the still 
unrecognized Saudi NGO, "Human Rights First" (HRF), told 
Poloff that the SAG had returned his Saudi passport and would 
allow him to travel to Germany for medical treatment. 
Mugaiteeb had been in a Saudi hospital for 23 days, and was 
released on December 14.  He had complained in previous 
conversations with Poloff that the SAG was intentionally 
witholding proper medical treatment for his ailing back, and 
that it was criminal that the SAG would not return his Saudi 
passport to allow him to travel outside of the Kingdom. 
 
¶3.  (C)  Mugaiteeb stated that the new chairman of the 
National Human Rights Society (NHRS), Dr. Turki bin Khaled 
Al-Sudairi, was instrumental in securing the return of his 
confiscated Saudi passport.  According to Mugaiteeb, Dr. 
Al-Sudairi interceded on his behalf with Assistant Minister 
of Interior Prince Mohammad bin Naif and Crown Prince Sultan, 
and managed to convince the SAG to return Mugaiteeb's 
passport.  Mugaiteeb told Poloff that he is now free to 
travel to Germany to seek proper medical attention.  He also 
complimented the German Embassy in Riyadh for its assistance, 
and said he was looking forward to making appointments with 
various human rights organizations in Germany. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  The National Human Rights Society (NHRS) is the 
government commission created in October 2005 to monitor and 
address human rights cases.  The NHRS has 18 permanent 
full-time staff and six part-time employees.  The King 
appoints board members to four-year renewable terms. Chairman 
Dr. Al-Sudairi was quoted in the Saudi press in early 
December 2005 as saying that the NHRS had officially opened 
its headquarters in Riyadh, and was receiving complaints and 
petitions from Saudi citizens and non-Saudi residents. 
 
¶5.  (C)  Mugaiteeb is optimistic about the prospects of 
reform under Dr. Al-Sudairi and the NHRS, particularly since 
its chairman has the rank of minister and reports directly to 
King Abdullah.  Mugaiteeb stated that he had met with Dr. 
Al-Sudairi twice, once as a guest in Al-Sudairi's home and 
once in Al-Sudairi's office, to discuss the SAG's 
unwillingness to license HRF officially, and the SAG's 
imposed travel ban on him.  During their initial meeting, Dr. 
Al-Sudairi asked Mugaiteeb to stop his human rights campaign, 
and requested that he instead channel his grievances through 
the NHRS.  According to Mugaiteeb, Dr. Al-Sudairi also 
offered him a part-time job with the NHRS.  Mugaiteeb 
declined, but did agree to work with the NHRS as an 
"unofficial" advisor.  He made it clear to Al-Sudairi that he 
would not accept employment with the SAG, but was comfortable 
passing human rights grievances and concerns to the NHRS 
before releasing the information to the public. Al-Sudairi 
assured Mugaiteeb that if the SAG does not allow him to do 
his work as Chairman, he will resign from the NHRS. 
 
¶6.  (C)  Mugaiteeb also discussed minority representation on 
the NHRS with Al-Sudairi.  He told the chairman that the 
commission must have representatives from the Sufi, Shi'a, 
and Ismaili communities. They discussed possible candidates 
for board membership.  Mugaiteeb said that Al-Sudairi was 
comfortable with many of the names he offered as possible 
candidates for membership on the commission. 
 
¶7.  (C)  Comment:  Mugaiteeb clearly sounded better than in 
previous telephone conversations. Normally suspicious and 
cynical of SAG human rights reform efforts, Mugaiteeb appears 
optimistic about changes occuring in the Kingdom.  He is also 
encouraged by the support he has received from the NHRS and 
Dr. Al-Sudairi.  He stated on a couple of occasions that Dr. 
Al-Sudairi has pledged his "unconditional support." This is 
in stark contrast to last July when the Ministry of Interior 
attempted to bribe Mugaiteeb to cease his human rights 
activism and threatened him with arrest (reftel).  Mugaiteeb 
believes that Al-Sudairi is a good man, is not corrupt, and 
may have enough political influence to make a difference. He 
stated that he will likely depart the Kingdom for Germany in 
mid-January after the Eid al-Adha holiday.  He ended the 
telephone conversation boasting, "the SAG will regret the 
fact that they allowed me to leave." End Comment. 
 
¶8.  (C) Biographic Data: NHRS Chairman Dr. Turki bin Khaled 
Al-Sudairi is in his sixties, and worked previously as a 
state minister and Cabinet member for eight years.  Other 
post contacts have said that Dr. al-Sudeiri was handpicked by 
the SAG to form the NHRS, and would probably serve as the 
chairman for two years. 
OBERWETTER