CAT/C/SAU/CO/2 have the right to prompt access to a lawyer of their choice and to contact a family member to inform them about their arrest and whereabouts; (c) Strengthen the independence of the Specialized Criminal Court from the Ministry of the Interior and ensure that judges are made aware of their obligation to consider defendants’ allegations that they were subjected to torture or ill treatment by investigators for the purpose of obtaining confessions and to consider confessions found to have been obtained through torture or ill-treatment to be inadmissible as evidence, except when such confessions are evidence in a case against the alleged perpetrator of the torture or ill-treatment; (d) Review the convictions of Alaa Brinji and Abdulkareem al-Khoder to establish whether they should be released from detention. Reprisals against and harassment, intimidation and arrest of human rights defenders and journalists 19. The Committee is extremely concerned that the State party has refused to grant operating licences to human rights organizations, which has resulted in the disbanding or suspension of activities of groups, including the Saudi Arabian Civil and Political Rights Association, the Adala Center for Human Rights, the Union for Human Rights and the Monitor for Human Rights in Saudi Arabia. The Committee is also extremely concerned about reports received that the State party has sought to punish individuals who have reported on alleged human rights violations perpetrated by the State party’s officials or who have objected to State policies on the grounds that they are inconsistent with human rights principles, including Abdulkareem al-Khodr, Waleed Abu al-Khair, Omar al-Sa’id, Abdulaziz al-Shobaily, Mohammed Saleh al-Bajady and Ra’if Badawi (art. 2). 20. The State party should acknowledge the legitimacy of peaceful criticism and advocacy related to violations of the Convention and consider reviewing the cases of the above-mentioned individuals and releasing any individual detained solely for peaceful criticism or human rights advocacy. Independence of the judiciary 21. The Committee is concerned about the reported lack of independence and impartiality of the judiciary, which may hinder the full enjoyment of the rights enshrined in the Convention. In particular, it is concerned about article 52 of the Basic Law, which stipulates that judges shall be appointed and discharged by the King. While noting the recent provisions to allow women to enter law school and to represent other women in certain cases, the Committee regrets the absence of women in the judiciary (arts. 2, 12-13 and 16). 22. The State party should ensure a fully independent and impartial judiciary in conformity with international standards. In particular, the State party should reform the judiciary to enable it to act effectively to address issues of impunity, victim redress and due process in line with the Convention. The Committee calls on the State party to make the judiciary more gender sensitive, including by ensuring the appointment of women judges. Coerced confessions 23. The Committee is concerned that coerced confessions are admissible evidence in the courts. The Committee remains concerned about the absence of specific provisions to invalidate confessions obtained in violation of the Convention, including the reported failure to investigate allegations of coerced confessions (art. 15). 5