Established pursuant to Council of Ministers Decision No. 207 of 12 September 2005, The Commission aims to protect and promote human rights in accordance with standards International human rights in all fields, raising awareness of them and contributing to ensuring that this is implemented in light of the provisions of Islamic Sharia. The authority is the competent authority to express opinion and advice on human rights issues.
The Commission has a legal personality, and has full independence in the exercise of its tasks for which it was established and stipulated in its organization.
Article (5) of the organization regulates the basic tasks of the commission, stipulating that "the body of the commission is the dominant authority in the affairs of the commission and the conduct of its affairs, and takes all necessary means to achieve its objectives within the limits of this organization, including the following:
1. Ensure that the relevant government agencies implement the laws and regulations in force with regard to human rights, reveal abuses that violate the regulations in force in the Kingdom that violate human rights, and take the necessary regulatory measures in this regard.
2. Expressing opinion on draft laws related to human rights, reviewing existing regulations and proposing to amend them in accordance with regular procedures.
3. Follow-up to government agencies to implement their own international human rights instruments to which the Kingdom has acceded, and to ensure that those agencies take the necessary measures to implement them.
4. Expressing opinion on international human rights instruments regarding the Kingdom's accession to it, or the provisions contained therein.
5. Approving the Kingdom's human rights reports, and submitting the necessary ones by the president of the commission to the king.
6. Visit prisons and detention facilities at any time without permission from the competent authority, and report them to the king.
7. Receive and verify complaints related to human rights, and take regular measures in this regard.
8. Establishing a general policy for developing awareness of human rights, and proposing ways to spread the culture of human rights and raising awareness about them, through institutions and bodies specialized in education, training, information, and others.
9. Approving the issuance of bulletins, magazines and publications related to the goals and powers of the commission.
10. Approving the annual report on the work of the commission and the annual report on the human rights situation in the Kingdom, and submitting them to the king.
11. Approving the Authority’s draft budget and final account, and submitting them to the King in accordance with the regular procedures.
12. Cooperate with national, regional and international societies, organizations and institutions working in the field of human rights to achieve the goals of the commission and develop its relations.
13. Agree to hold internal and international conferences and seminars on human rights issues, and participate in them, in accordance with the regular procedures in this regard.
14. Agree to initiate and respond to cases related to human rights issues.
