23 speakers at the workshop on the application of international humanitarian law in the management of corpses during armed conflicts

The Standing Committee on International Humanitarian Law, in the presence of its Secretary-General, Counselor Abdullah bin Mudrik Al-Ruwaili, organized a workshop on the application of international humanitarian law in the management of corpses during armed conflicts at the Third Saudi Conference on Forensic Medical Sciences.
At the opening of the workshop, Counselor Al-Ruwaili spoke about honoring humans in our Sharia, citing the Quranic verse: “And We have certainly honored the children of Adam and carried them on the land and sea and provided for them of the good things and preferred them over much of what We have created, with [definite] preference.” He explained that humans are honored in body and soul and that the universe is at their service, and that human life and honor do not end with their death; they are also honored after their death, as the sanctity of the dead is like the sanctity of the living, including the warning against stepping on graves or burning corpses.
He stressed that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is keen to preserve human dignity in life and death, and that honoring includes facilitating livelihoods and striving to earn a living, noting that international humanitarian law, as stated in the Geneva Conventions and their additional protocols, is consistent with the Kingdom’s wise approach.

The workshop was attended by a group of experts, researchers and those interested in international humanitarian law. They delivered speeches and working papers on the necessity of respecting and honoring the bodies of the dead and not tampering with them, and that more respect must be shown to the deceased person, the bodies of those killed in armed conflicts, how to deal with them, exchanging bodies and recovering remnants, providing psychological support to the families of victims of armed conflicts, the role of forensic medicine in identifying the identity of victims of armed conflicts, and other related topics.
The workshop program continued over two days, Tuesday and Wednesday: 26-27/11/2024 AD, and was opened by Dr. Moez bin Khalafah Al-Hudhali, International Humanitarian Law Counselor to the Regional Mission of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Kuwait, who addressed the topics of the legal framework and international evidence for managing the bodies of those killed in armed conflicts, and the legal mechanisms and procedures for exchanging bodies and recovering remnants in armed conflicts. Then, Dr. Abdulaziz bin Nasser Al-Tamimi, Associate Professor in the Department of Comparative Jurisprudence and Deputy Director of the Higher Institute of Justice and Scientific Research in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, gave a lecture in which he addressed the provisions of Islamic law on dealing with the bodies of those killed in armed conflicts. This was followed by a speech by Lieutenant Colonel Saad Muhammad Al-Absi from the General Administration of Civil Defense in Najran City, entitled: “Civil Defense in Dealing with Victims of Armed Conflicts,” followed by a speech by Brigadier General Dr. Nasser Hadi Al-Qahtani, Public Security Affairs, which revolved around the role of criminal investigation in dealing with victims of armed conflicts. Dr. Saeed bin Abdullah Al-Ghamdi, Director of the DNA Fingerprint Project at the Saudi Ministry of Defense, addressed genetic characteristics in identifying The identity of victims of armed conflicts, and then Professor Dr. Hassan bin Rafea Al-Shahri from the General Administration of Mental Health, at the Saudi Ministry of Health, discussed “Mental Health and Providing Psychological Support to the Families of Victims of Armed Conflicts”, and about “The Role of Forensic Medicine in Identifying the Identity of Victims of Armed Conflicts”, Dr. Ahmed bin Yahya Abdo Hakmi, Forensic Medicine Consultant at Jazan University, spoke, and the first day was concluded with a speech by Professor Ahlam bint Hamed Al-Omari - General Administration for Combating Infection in Health Facilities - at the Ministry of Health, which revolved around “Skills of Using Personal Protective Equipment While Dealing with Victims of Armed Conflicts”.
On the second and final day of the workshop, there was a speech by Brigadier Khalid bin Mohammed Al-Daoud and Lieutenant Colonel Musa Abdulrahman Al-Hussainan, from the General Department of Criminal Security - Public Security, in which they discussed forensic evidence in identifying victims of disasters and armed conflicts, followed by a practical participation by the forensic evidence team, which covered practical applications and aspects of forensic science skills to identify victims of armed conflicts. At the end of the workshop, several participants were honored with certificates of attendance, and then commemorative photos were taken.