UN accused of suppressing report critical of how Middle Eastern governments treat their citizens

The United Nations has been forced to deny that it is suppressing a report which is critical of several Middle Eastern governments over treatment of their citizens.

The paper – which in the light of the Arab Spring offers recommendations for Middle Eastern countries on improving human rights and reforming their economies – was supposed to be released earlier this month.

Several high-profile issues are included, such as women’s rights and the use of the death penalty in Saudi Arabia, the aftermath of the coup that overthrew Egypt’s President Mohamed Morsi in 2013, and Israeli treatment of Palestinians, Al Jazeera reported, citing a draft copy seen by the news organisation.

Several countries – including Egypt, Israel and Saudi Arabia – have reportedly objected to its findings.

A UN spokesperson said that the report for the UN’s Economic and Social Commission for West Asia was written by “independent experts” and as such would be published by them, rather than the UN itself.

“It looks like a proposal the UN would want to endorse on paper – but because of apparent pushback across the region, it’s letting others take the lead,” Al Jazeera noted.