CRC/C/SAU/CO/2 page 8 37. In light of article 12 of the Convention, the Committee recommends that the State party continue to promote the right of children to express their views fully in all matters affecting them, including within the family, at school, in the media, the courts and administrative bodies and society in general. In this regard, the Committee recommends that the State party undertake awareness-raising campaigns and educational programmes in order to inform children and others, including parents and legal professionals, of the rights of the child to express their views and of the mechanisms and other opportunities which exist for this purpose. The Committee recommends that the State party seek assistance from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), among others. 4. Civil rights and freedoms (arts. 7, 8, 13-17, 19 and 37 (a) of the Convention) Name and nationality 38. As regards the child’s right to acquire nationality, the Committee is concerned about the discrimination against children on account of their fathers’ nationality. Children of Saudi fathers acquire Saudi nationality at birth, regardless of the child’s birthplace, but Saudi women cannot transmit their Saudi nationality to their children born from a relationship with a non-Saudi man or from a non-marital relationship. 39. The Committee recommends that the State party review its legislation on nationality in order to ensure that nationality can be transmitted to children through both the maternal and paternal line without distinction. Freedom of religion 40. The Committee is concerned that the right of the child to freedom of thought, conscience and religion is not fully respected and protected. The Committee is concerned about hate speech against religious minorities in schools and mosques. 41. In light of article 14 of the Convention, the Committee recommends that the State party respect the right of the child to freedom of thought, conscience and religion by taking effective measures to prevent and eliminate all forms of discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief and by promoting religious tolerance and dialogue in society. Protection from torture, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment 42. While noting articles 2 and 13 of the Code of Criminal Procedure promulgated in Royal Decree No. M/39 of 15 October 2001 which prohibit torture or degrading treatment and the State party’s reassurance that corporal punishment is not imposed upon minors, the Committee is concerned about reports of extrajudicial and summary floggings of teenagers suspected of behaviour deemed immoral and acts of police brutality. 43. The Committee urges the State party to take all necessary steps for the immediate abolition of extrajudicial and summary floggings of teenagers as well as other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading punishments imposed on persons having committed a crime when under the age of 18 years, including acts of police brutality.

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