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5. Saudi Arabia GENERAL, POLITICAL AND LEGAL OVERVIEW The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia does not have a constitution as is understood, but a basic system of government which does not comply with international laws for basic freedoms, although Saudi is a party of these treaties. The King of Saudi Arabia appoints judges without any transparent and clear criteria, contrary to claims that the country enjoys an independent judiciary. The Saudi government is actively increasing political surveillance and closing down on freedoms through pressurising the GCC to accept the unified security agreement which includes some concerning legislations, and empowers members of the GCC to restrict freedoms and privacies. An increasing number of cases involving civilian freedoms of expression have recently been met by brutal crackdowns. Some human rights activists have been sentenced to 15 years imprisonment while many others are banned from travelling. The Kingdom has persisted in its violations of public freedoms and rights especially those concerning women and children.
Many cases of abuse were documented in 2014, despite claims to the contrary during the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of 2013. Official guardianship, discrimination against minorities and the ban on any form of political parties and human rights organisations remain the norm in the Kingdom. Several religious figures have expressed views opposed to those of the Government and were arrested and/or deported. The Government has also levelled religious accusations such as apostasy against those who questioned the practices and actions of the Saudi Arabian authorities. During 2014, the Saudi Government issued a number of new decisions that have further entrenched the repressive and arbitrary violation of human rights. A new anti-terrorism law came into effect backed by a royal decree to combat terrorism. Both of which contain loosely defined definitions of what constitutes terrorism, allowing the authorities to apply it to any form of opposition. Saudi Arabia has also pressed the Gulf Cooperation Council to agree to a joint security agreement enabling the Gulf States to crack down on individual and public freedoms.