Dr. Yousef Al-Othaimeen has been the secretary-general of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) since 2016.
Al-Othaimeen has served in several positions in the public sector, most notably as the minister of labor and social development.
At the same ministry, he also worked as an adviser and assistant undersecretary for disabilities rehabilitation and care department.
Moreover, he was secretary-general of the King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Foundation for Developmental Housing and director general of the Insan Charitable Society for Orphans Care.
Al-Othaimeen also had a career in higher education. He was an assistant professor at King Saud University (KSU) in Riyadh. He began his career as a lecturer after his graduation with a bachelor’s degree in social studies from KSU.
He received his higher education in the US. He obtained his Ph.D. in political sociology from the American University in the capital and his master’s degree in political sociology from the University of Ohio.
Furthermore, Al-Othaimeen had also been a columnist in some local newspapers in Saudi Arabia.
In 2019, he received an honorary doctorate from the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.
Recently, Muslim leaders demanded the introduction of an international law to criminalize all acts of Islamophobia.
Announcing plans for the celebration of the OIC’s 50th anniversary in Jeddah on Monday, Al-Othaimeen called for a global crackdown on individuals or groups responsible for “insulting religions or prophets.”
Al-Othaimeen told Arab News: “There are laws against anti-Semitism and racism. So, we request a law against mocking religions.”
In a report released by the OIC, he said that modernization and the Internet revolution had turned the world into a “global village” where religions and cultures should coexist, and races and nations must live side by side as neighbors.
“Islamophobia is a sentiment of excessive fear against Islam that is transformed into acts of intolerance and discriminations against Muslims and even violent crimes against people with Islamic attires.”
