Red Crescent emphasizes importance of respecting humanitarian law in war

RIYADH: Mohammad bin Abdullah Al-Qaasem, secretary-general of the Saudi Red Crescent Authority (SRCA), said the Kingdom places high regard on divine legislation and international norms, which call for respect for humanitarian laws.
He added that divine legislation and world norms have great importance on international humanitarian law, as underlined by the fact that a national committee on international humanitarian law was established for this purpose under the umbrella of the Saudi Red Crescent Authority. This stressed the importance of international humanitarian law in times of war and peace, the respect for human rights and the organization of these rights during peace time.
Qaasem said the SRCA is concerned with giving advice to all agencies with international humanitarian law and will continue to observe its activities based on this law, and with its deep linkage to the International Red Cross and Red Crescent movements, and of all its responsibilities.
He said this is in line with the concerns of the government of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and its continuous move to realize security and peace according to Islamic Shariah and international law.
He was speaking at a forum on the “Application of International and Humanitarian Law in Armed Conflicts,” which was organized by the General Secretariat of the Arab Red Crescent and Red Cross in cooperation with the Saudi Red Crescent Authority.
He said that the forum is conducted within the activities presented by the SRCA in cooperation with the Arab Organization for Service Work and Humanitarian Relief.
Saleh bin Hamad Al-Siehibani, secretary-general of the Organization of Arab Red Crescent and the Red Cross, said the forum is being held to show all mechanisms and measures of international humanitarian law, how to apply these measures and for all parties to respect humanitarian laws in times of peace and during armed conflicts, and also to show “humanitarian diplomacy.”