G20 should press Saudi Arabia on jailed activists, rights group says
Pressure is building on Riyadh ahead of the annual G20 summit later this month.
As Saudi Arabia readies to host the Group of 20 leaders’ summit later this month, Human Rights Watch on Monday urged member countries to pressure Riyadh to release its unlawfully detained activists.
Rights organizations are ramping up pressure on foreign governments to hold the kingdom accountable for its rights record or snub the G20 altogether. The annual gathering will be held virtually on Nov. 21-22 and chaired by King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.
“The G20 presidency has conferred an undeserved mark of international prestige on the government of Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman,” said Michael Page, HRW’s deputy Middle East director.
“Instead of signaling its concern for Saudi Arabia’s serious abuses, the G20 is bolstering the Saudi government’s well-funded publicity efforts to portray the country as ‘reforming’ despite a significant increase in repression since 2017,” he said.
