Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The Saudi Council of Ministers on Tuesday approved the Law for the Protection of Whistleblowers, Witnesses, Experts and Victims.

The Weekly session of the Cabinet, chaired by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman in Riyadh, also approved the regulation of the Saudi Tourism Authority.

A few years ago, the Shoura Council approved the draft law to ensure protection of whistle-blowers, witnesses, experts and victims, who are at risk for providing information on crimes, paving the way for the final approval by the Cabinet. The milestone law is aimed at providing security to individuals who may come under threat for giving evidence in court cases.

The law gives powers to judicial authorities to provide the necessary protection to witnesses, victims, whistleblowers, experts and members of their families from any threat including assault, revenge, intimidation and others. The draft law, with 39 articles, contributes to combating crimes by encouraging and facilitating information sharing and providing protection to informants, witnesses, experts and victims from any attacks or threats, material or moral harm, or anything that may adversely affect the delivery of such information.

At the outset of the session, the Cabinet was briefed on the recent consultations and talks that the Kingdom had with several friendly countries, including the two messages received by King Salman and Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman from the president of Gambia and the king of Spain.

Minister of State, Member of the Cabinet and Acting Minister of Media Dr. Essam bin Saad bin Saeed said, in a statement to the Saudi Press Agency following the session, that the Cabinet commended the outcomes of the third meeting of the Saudi-Bahraini Coordination Council, held under the co-chairmanship of the Saudi Crown Prince and his Bahraini counterpart Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa and the signing of several agreements and memoranda of understanding bound to boost cooperation between the two countries in various fields.

The Cabinet emphasized the outcome of the consultative meeting, convened by Saudi Arabia, to discuss the ongoing Israeli war in Gaza Strip that stressed the need to end the war, arrive at an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire, and remove obstacles impeding the access of humanitarian aid into Gaza Strip. The meeting also underscored the need to take steps toward implementing the two-state solution and recognizing the State of Palestine within the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Dr. Essam said the Cabinet also reviewed a series of reports on important international events and exhibitions hosted recently by the Kingdom. It commended the successful organization of the World Defense Show, saying that it was a testimony to the Kingdom’s commitment to supporting the military industries sector. The Cabinet commended the Kingdom’s commitment to enhancing and developing national capabilities in this field, and to fostering increased international cooperation, in line with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.

The Council authorized minister of foreign affairs or his deputy to discuss and sign with the Singaporean side a draft memorandum of understanding regarding the establishment of a strategic partnership council by the governments of the two countries.

It authorized minister of environment, water and agriculture or his deputy to discuss and sign with the Arab Center for the Studies of Arid Zones and Dry Lands (ACSAD) a draft agreement regarding cooperation in environment, water and agriculture.

The Cabinet approved a memorandum of cooperation between the Saudi Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology in the fields of digitization and electronic manufacturing. It authorized minister of investment or his deputy to discuss and sign with the Norwegian side a memorandum of understanding to promote direct investment.

The Council authorized minister of education or his deputy to discuss and sign with counterpart authorities in each of Ethiopia, Eritrea, Burundi, Tanzania, Ghana, Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya a draft memorandum of scientific and educational cooperation. It also authorized minister of transport and logistics, and chairman of the board of directors of the General Authority of Civil Aviation or his deputy to discuss and sign a draft memorandum of understanding for technical cooperation with the Latin American Civil Aviation Commission.

The Cabinet approved a cooperation agreement in the field of counter-terrorism and its financing between the Saudi Presidency of State Security and the National Counter Terrorism Agency of Indonesia. It approved a memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the field of passenger security between the Saudi National Traveler Security Centre and the Nationality, Passports and Residence Affairs of the Ministry of Interior of Bahrain.