Citing rights abuses, House Democrats push administration to snub Saudi-hosted G-20 summit
Lawmakers said the US government has an obligation to ensure such gatherings are not used to distract from ongoing human rights violations.
As Saudi Arabia gears up to host the Group of 20 next month, a group of House Democrats is urging Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to withdraw the United States from the annual summit in protest of the kingdom’s dismal human rights record.
A letter signed by more than 40 members of Congress describes Saudi Arabia as “an unfit and inappropriate” host and calls on Pompeo to make progress on human reforms a condition for US participation in this year’s meeting of major world economies.
“The Saudi government has a long record of silencing the very voices that are necessary for a meaningful global conversation regarding the massive challenges we collectively face,” the lawmakers wrote to Pompeo on Wednesday. “Our government has an obligation to ensure that G-20 convenings are not used by host governments to obscure or hide their own repressive and environmentally destructive practices.”
The letter comes as human rights organizations are dialing up the pressure on foreign governments to snub the gathering, which will be held virtually Nov. 21-22 and chaired by King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.
