Despite the adoption of the Basic Law of Government, Saudi Arabia continues to be lacking in basic constitutional safeguards and civil liberties. The nation is a monarchy deriving religious legitimacy from the Wahhabi doctrine.
Although the law in Saudi Arabia recognizes the principle of the independence of the judiciary, it also subordinates the judiciary to the authority of the executive organ, in particular the Minister of Justice, the Minister of the Interior and regional governors. Serious human rights violations continued in Saudi Arabia.
Women face systematic discrimination, and suspected political or religious activists suffer arbitrary arrest and detention or punishment under secretive criminal judicial procedures that violate basic tents of the right to a fair trial.
An alarming increase in executions and amputations continued to be reported, as well as torture and ill-treatment.
The Saudi government continued to enforce a ban on political parties and trade unions and to impose restrictions on access to the country by human rights NGOs.
Saudi Arabia-attacks on justice 2002-publications-2002 (full text, PDF)