NHRC Chairman Dr Ali bin Sumaikh Al Marri at the General Assembly of the Arab Network for National Human Rights Institutions in Algiers, yesterday.
Algiers: Chairman of Qatar National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) Dr Ali bin Sumaikh Al Marri has called for drafting a charter of honour among Arab national human rights institutions in an effort to achieve their goals regardless of political differences between countries.
Addressing the opening session of the General Assembly of the Arab Network for National Human Rights Institutions here yesterday, Al-Marri called on national institutions in the Arab world to cooperate more in establishing rules and mechanisms to protect and promote human rights and to play a leading role in addressing any violations of human rights and basic freedoms, in light of the political circumstances and crises experienced by the Arab nation, and the consequences of these circumstances and imposed by these crises of difficulties and challenges on the ground.
He also called for neutralising the human rights work of national institutions, not to be confused with political action, as this undermines the real objectives of national human rights institutions and reduces their credibility. “There is no doubt that the diplomatic dispute and the divergence of visions towards some political issues is natural within the system of relations between countries, but that is always subject to respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and not to prejudice or violate them, which we have emphasised on several occasions , and we reiterate it, and reaffirm it here again.”
Al Marri said that the defence of human rights and freedoms and the promotion and protection of human rights is one of goals of national human rights institutions, noting NHRC reiterates its full and unequivocal support for all efforts exerted in this regard. He called for the implementation of the recommendations of the conferences implemented in partnership with the Arab Network and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. He stressed the importance of strategic partnership between the Arab Network and the High Commission, the Network and General Secretariat of the Council of Arab Ministers of the Interior, and the role of these active partnerships in advancing the human rights situation in the Arab region.
