Article 16 of the Saudi Human Rights Commission Statute

This article creates an obligation on state bodies toward the Human Rights Commission.

The obligation: state bodies must provide the Commission with what it requests of data or information.

The controls the text mentions:

• The data or information must be what the Commission requests.
• It must be connected with its work.
• The purpose must be performing its tasks assigned to it.

The wording "must" indicates obligation, so the text does not leave the government body the choice of refusing to provide the Commission with what it requests within these controls. But the article does not set a deadline for a reply, the manner of making the request, or the consequence of not responding.

Importance of the article: it gives the Commission a legal basis for obtaining from state bodies the data and information it needs, so long as they are connected with its work and necessary to perform its tasks.

This article is linked to Article 17, which gives the Commission an independent budget prepared and issued under the arrangements for issuing the State's general budget, and sets the sources of its funds.

Anyone who has filed a complaint with the Commission and wishes to understand the procedures available to it should consult a lawyer specializing in administrative and human rights cases.