Saudi G20 at Stake After European Parliament’s Criticizing Resolution
Forever neglecting the concerns of human rights defenders from across the world, Saudi Arabia is now slipping in a risky pit that it dug for itself, knowingly or unknowingly. The Kingdom has witness a plethora of changes since Mohammed bin Salman was appointed Crown Prince in 2017, as a part of his drive for modernization.
However, the plans that MbS has set for his nation appear to be on a roller coaster, when they were supposed to follow a straight path. The Arab country is heading towards its ultimate destination of Vision 2030, but the obstacles it has self-invited are making it a bumpy ride.
The Members of European Parliament (MEPs) recently brought the issue of migrants and Saudi women dissidents ahead of G20 Riyadh Summit, which is to be hosted this year to assist the objectives of Prince Salman. Earlier this month, the Parliament strongly condemned a series of ongoing human rights violations in Saudi Arabia, especially during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Focusing on the horrific conditions of Ethiopian migrants in Saudi detention centers, the resolution passed by the MEPs criticised the Gulf nation’s Kafala system and its treatment of migrant workers, expats and human rights defenders. It stated that where Saudi continues the practice of torture and ill-treatment of migrants even during the pandemic, its records of human rights violations are only increasing.
Thousands of Ethiopian migrants, who were forced to Yemen by Houthis, were arbitrarily detained by the Saudi authorities. These Ethiopians, including children and pregnant women, are facing tortured, deprived of food, living in overcrowded filthy cells and some are even dying of diseases or suicide.
The European Parliament urged Saudi Arabia to immediately end the ill-treatment and torture in detention centers, and to provide proper healthcare facilities for all. However, the resolution states that the Arab nation is instead using the imposed COVID-19 restrictions to cover further abuse of human rights.
A big time enemy of dissidents, the regime of Crown Prince MbS has arbitrarily arrested and tortured multiple human rights activists, as a part of a severe crackdown on dissent. Such practices came in sharp contrast to what Prince Mohammed had been portraying to have planned for Saudi’s golden future. Where a ban on driving for women was lifted, the activist who fought for it was put behind the bars. The European Parliament highlighted such treatment of Saudi women activists ahead of G20 Summit.
Loujain al-Hathloul, a women’s rights defender, remains under detention in Saudi Arabia from past more than two years. She has been threatened of rape by MbS’ close adviser Saud al-Qahtani and tortured using techniques like electric shocks, beating and waterboarding. Besides, Saudi also keeps other prominent human rights activists in arbitrary or incommunicado detention, including Samar Badawi, Raif Badawi, Fahad Albutairi, and others, along with dissenting Royal family members, including Princess Basmah bint Saud and Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz bin Salman.
The resolution of MEPs requested an impartial investigation into the human rights violations of all rights defenders by Saudi authorities and demanded for all perpetrators to be brought to justice. It also called on Saudi Arabia to unconditionally release women’s rights activists, especially the campaigners for the Women to Drive Movement, including Loujain al-Hathloul, Samar Badawi, Nassima al-Sada, Nouf Abdulaziz and Maya’a al-Zahrani.
The European Parliament also urged the EU about Saudi G20 to cut down their representation at the event that Riyadh will be hosting in November, this year. The MEPs stated that it could otherwise legitimize the prolonged human rights violations in the country.
Saudi Arabia, one of the biggest human rights offenders, has not just detained, but was also involved in the murder of dissident Jamal Khashoggi, who was allegedly killed on orders of MbS. The red records of the Kingdom’s human rights over Saudi women defenders have put the G20 Summit in danger on several occasions, further creating an issue for Saudi Vision 2030. However, the resolution by European Parliament has been a major blow to Saudi’s international reputation.
