Statement on David Cameron's Saudi Arabia visit

‘There is shocking disrespect for basic human rights in Saudi Arabia’ - Tim Hancock

As the Prime Minister David Cameron today visits Saudi Arabia, Amnesty International issued a new five-page briefing on its human rights concerns on the country, calling on Mr Cameron to raise these issues with the Saudi Arabian authorities.

Amnesty International UK Campaigns Director Tim Hancock said:

“There is shocking disrespect for basic human rights in Saudi Arabia and David Cameron should be completely frank and firm with King Abdullah about this.

“For example, he should bring up the case of six Bedouin men who face having their right hand and left foot amputated for ‘highway robbery’. The men had no lawyers at their trial and one of them was reportedly beaten for eight days to make him ‘confess’.

“In Saudi Arabia Women's rights's rightss rights's rights's rights's rights are treated as second class citizens. They can be flogged if they’re caught driving a car and they have to receive the permission of a male guardian before they can travel, start a job or get married. If Samantha Cameron were on this visit she would be unable to drive or move around freely without risk of arrest. 

“In recent years we’ve documented the indiscriminate bombing of Yemeni villages by Saudi Arabian jets, so if Mr Cameron is discussing arms deals on this trip he must ensure that they will be subject to rigorous controls and that no equipment is shipped to the country if there is the slightest risk of it being used to commit human rights abuses.”

Read the briefing: www.amnesty.org.uk/saudi