Amnesty International response to the conferring of an Honorary Doctor of Laws (LLD) on Prince Turki bin Faisal Al Saud of Saudi Arabia:

Amnesty International's Northern Ireland programme director Patrick Corrigan said:

'Amnesty International does not take a position on who should or should not receive honorary degrees.

'We would take this opportunity to remind people in Northern Ireland, including students of law at the University of Ulster, that Saudi Arabia is responsible for many appalling abuses of human right.

'In the last year in Saudi Arabia, scores of people were executed and more were flogged. The torture of detainees is systematic and carried out with impunity. Unfair trials are rife and thousands of people are jailed, many without charge or access to lawyers. Prisoners of conscience - including human rights activists - languish in prison. Women's rights's rightss rights's rights's rights's rights continue to face severe discriminatiion and widespread violence. Religious minorities, including Shi'a Muslims and Christians, can face persecution.'

The University of Ulster is to confer an honorary doctorate on HRH Prince Turki bin Faisal Al Saud of Saudi Arabia for his services to diplomatic and international relations. The Prince will receive his Honorary Doctor of Laws (LLD) at a special ceremony in Jordanstown on 28 September.