Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — Saudi Arabia called on the United Nations to rein in growing Islamophobia and draw a roadmap to eradicate this phenomenon from its roots.

In a fervent plea to E. Tendayi Achiume, the UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, Mishaal Al-Balawi, the head of the human rights section in the Kingdom’s delegation to the United Nations Human Rights Council, urged her to continue focusing in the context of her mandate on the phenomenon of "Islamophobia", which is a contemporary form of racial discrimination and intolerance.

In an address to the UN Human Rights Council, Al-Balawi said: “The internet is an open space for practicing racism, racial discrimination and xenophobia. It requires efforts to find solutions to make it a safe and accurately balanced space between respecting freedom of opinion and expression and combating racism and racial discrimination.

He explained that spreading ideas based on racial discrimination and inciting racism and hatred using information technology is a crime and its perpetrator is punished in the Kingdom, according to the laws.

Saudi Arabia’s Anti-Cyber Crime Law that came into force in 2007 punishes those who harm others through various information technology means with imprisonment for a period not exceeding one year and a fine not exceeding SR500,000 (nearly $133,000) or one of these two penalties.

Al-Balawi added that if any organization that promotes racial, religious and national hatred will be banned, according to the law.