British MPs say highest Saudi authorities may be responsible for activists' torture

 

FILE PHOTO: Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman attends a G20 leaders summit in Buenos Aires, Argentina, November 30, 2018. REUTERS/Sergio Moraes/File Photo

 

LONDON (Reuters) - Three British lawmakers on Monday endorsed reports that women activists detained in Saudi Arabia have been tortured, and said responsibility for what is likely a violation of international law could lie with "Saudi authorities at the highest level".

 

The conclusions of the panel indicate growing uneasiness among Western allies with alleged rights abuses under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom's de facto leader who already facing opprobrium over last year's murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

 

A United Nations investigator is now leading an international inquiry into the murder, which has tarnished the crown prince's standing in the West after he won accolades for seeking to ease social restrictions and end the country's dependence on oil revenues.

 

Those reforms have been accompanied by a crackdown on dissent, including the arrest of over a dozen women's rights campaigners starting last May, most of whom had advocated for the right to drive and an end to the male guardianship system.

 

Amnesty International said last month it had documented 10 cases of torture and abuse - including sexual harassment, electrocution, flogging and death threats - while the activists were held at an undisclosed location last summer.

 

Reuters reported earlier that an aide to Prince Mohammed who was fired for his role in the Khashoggi murder personally oversaw the torture of at least one of the women months earlier.

 

Saudi Arabia, an absolute monarchy where public protests and political parties are banned, says it does not have political prisoners and denies torture allegations. Officials have said monitoring of activists is needed to ensure social stability.

 

Yet British lawmakers Crispin Blunt, Layla Moran and Paul Williams said they found reports by international rights groups and news media to be credible, describing the detainees' treatment as "cruel, inhuman and degrading".

 

The lawmakers, who formed a review panel with prominent lawyers, said the Saudi authorities had also violated international law by holding the detainees incommunicado and denying them access to legal advice.

 

Culpability rests not only with direct perpetrators but also those who are responsible for or acquiesce to it, they added.

"The Saudi authorities at the highest levels could, in principle, be responsible for the crime of torture," their final report said.

 

The Saudi government communications office did not reply to a request for comment on the report.

 

Some of the detained women's rights activists have been accused in Saudi media of belonging to the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood and supporting Qatar, which is locked in a dispute with Riyadh.

 

The British lawmakers called on the Saudi authorities to immediately release them and review the allegations against them, and to prosecute those responsible for their mistreatment.

 

They said requests to visit the detainees in Saudi Arabia have gone unanswered.

 

"The Saudi women activist detainees have been treated so badly as to sustain an international investigation for torture," said Blunt, a lawmaker in Prime Minister Theresa May's Conservative Party.

 

"Saudi Arabia stands on the brink. It is not too late to alter course and avert the spiral downwards to catastrophe that the detention of these activists represents," he said.

 

(Writing by Stephen Kalin; editing by Guy Faulconbridge)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-02-04

Probably not near the top on the best "retirement" places list.

Where is all this going? Nowhere!!

 

The UK helped create this Saudi monster. The US is using it for its own ends and the rest of the world is 'tut, tutting'.  "Oh isn't it terrible?"

 

Take away their oil and they would be riding across the desert on their camels again.

 

Venezuela; you're next for regeim change. We want your luvvely oil. Watch this space!

 

Wasn't it Bush (junior) that said; "Don't know what god was thinking, putting all US's oil under other countries' land!"

1 hour ago, owl sees all said:

Where is all this going? Nowhere!!

 

The UK helped create this Saudi monster. The US is using it for its own ends and the rest of the world is 'tut, tutting'.  "Oh isn't it terrible?"

 

Take away their oil and they would be riding across the desert on their camels again.

 

Venezuela; you're next for regeim change. We want your luvvely oil. Watch this space!

 

Wasn't it Bush (junior) that said; "Don't know what god was thinking, putting all US's oil under other countries' land!"

Well having worked in one or two of those  other ( ME ) countries I must say , George does have a point !

There is plenty to condemn about Saudi. However British MPs who when they are not chasing their tails over a looming catastrophe in their own country, are licking their testicles complacently on far less serious matters abroad. Focus on home and never mind the Saudis, Russians, Chinese, Koreans or whoever else. Now is not the time.

2 minutes ago, baboon said:

There is plenty to condemn about Saudi. However British MPs who when they are not chasing their tails over a looming catastrophe in their own country, are licking their testicles complacently on far less serious matters abroad. Focus on home and never mind the Saudis, Russians, Chinese, Koreans or whoever else. Now is not the time.

The MP's have an amazing ability to be concerned about and comment on  more than just one topic .

1 minute ago, sanemax said:

The MP's have an amazing ability to be concerned about and comment on  more than just one topic .

Perfectly valid comeback. But while they are are facing the breakup of their own 'United' Kingdom and an uncertain future to say the least, every moment of their time should be focused on what is happening at home. Saudi will still be lopping of heads in five years, despite what we say. Where will the UK be in five more years?

4 minutes ago, baboon said:

Perfectly valid comeback. But while they are are facing the breakup of their own 'United' Kingdom and an uncertain future to say the least, every moment of their time should be focused on what is happening at home. Saudi will still be lopping of heads in five years, despite what we say. Where will the UK be in five more years?

In five years time, the UK will be an isolated nation , much like North Korea two years ago , except that we wont have China as an allie .

   The GBP will be worthless , we will have to sell Scotland to China , law and order will break down, there will be riots in the street  , town verses town, Brexit verses remainers , there will be a civil war , police an army dividing up and joining their group .

  Food shortages , medical shortages , nor warm clothes , we will all either starve , freeze , die from no medication  or get killed by the rioters in the street .

   With the country in chaos , the Russians will invade and Brits will seek asylum in Ethiopia , crossing the shark infested Mediterranean in rubber dingys 

5 minutes ago, sanemax said:

In five years time, the UK will be an isolated nation , much like North Korea two years ago , except that we wont have China as an allie .

   The GBP will be worthless , we will have to sell Scotland to China , law and order will break down, there will be riots in the street  , town verses town, Brexit verses remainers , there will be a civil war , police an army dividing up and joining their group .

  Food shortages , medical shortages , nor warm clothes , we will all either starve , freeze , die from no medication  or get killed by the rioters in the street .

   With the country in chaos , the Russians will invade and Brits will seek asylum in Ethiopia , crossing the shark infested Mediterranean in rubber dingys 

Wow! I'm glad I moved here.

8 hours ago, baboon said:

Perfectly valid comeback. But while they are are facing the breakup of their own 'United' Kingdom and an uncertain future to say the least, every moment of their time should be focused on what is happening at home. Saudi will still be lopping of heads in five years, despite what we say. Where will the UK be in five more years?

In the EU

9 hours ago, baboon said:

There is plenty to condemn about Saudi. However British MPs who when they are not chasing their tails over a looming catastrophe in their own country, are licking their testicles complacently on far less serious matters abroad. Focus on home and never mind the Saudis, Russians, Chinese, Koreans or whoever else. Now is not the time.

You clearly are a young person. I say this because you are not old enough to remember the oil crisis in 1973 which created a recession accross the West. So much for not keeping an eye on Saudi Arabia.

 

And when the Chinese have packed our electronics with kill-switches and back-doors so that they can switch off our national grid at will, will you still say, "Dont bother with the Chinese"

 

Remember that the evil that is done to people is not possible because evil people exist - it occurs because good people become complacent. The UK is an island which means that it has to be involved in the world, both in economic terms and in terms of everything else. Yes, you might be leaving the EU but that does not mean that you escape from intrusions from the outside world, as you will discover very soon.

10 hours ago, sanemax said:

The MP's have an amazing ability to be concerned about and comment on  more than just one topic .

Particularly when it comes to their expense claims .....................!

13 hours ago, sanemax said:

In five years time, the UK will be an isolated nation , much like North Korea two years ago , except that we wont have China as an allie .

   The GBP will be worthless , we will have to sell Scotland to China , law and order will break down, there will be riots in the street  , town verses town, Brexit verses remainers , there will be a civil war , police an army dividing up and joining their group .

  Food shortages , medical shortages , nor warm clothes , we will all either starve , freeze , die from no medication  or get killed by the rioters in the street .

   With the country in chaos , the Russians will invade and Brits will seek asylum in Ethiopia , crossing the shark infested Mediterranean in rubber dingys 

You make me laugh...too much  ... but are you sure you're sane Max? 

19 hours ago, baboon said:

Perfectly valid comeback. But while they are are facing the breakup of their own 'United' Kingdom and an uncertain future to say the least, every moment of their time should be focused on what is happening at home. Saudi will still be lopping of heads in five years, despite what we say. Where will the UK be in five more years?

The breakup of the UK ?? where did you get that idea from.

3 hours ago, IssanMichael said:

The breakup of the UK ?? where did you get that idea from.

From Scots who wish (and voted to) remain in the EU and want to sever their ties with Westminster, given this Brexit debacle. I am finding it harder and harder to blame them.

Just now, baboon said:

From Scots who wish (and voted to) remain in the EU and want to sever their ties with Westminster, given this Brexit debacle. I am finding it harder and harder to blame them.

Just because you support it, that doesnt mean that its going to happen .

Its rather premature to announce the break-up of the U.K. on the premises that you dont blame some people for wanting it !!!!!!! 

23 minutes ago, sanemax said:

Just because you support it, that doesnt mean that its going to happen .

Its rather premature to announce the break-up of the U.K. on the premises that you dont blame some people for wanting it !!!!!!! 

Wow, you got me there, good and proper. Except for -

I announced no such thing. I gave an opinion. 

The Scots voted to remain in the EU. Yes, as part of the UK, but 'Remain' nevertheless. 

I do not want Scotland to leave the UK and condemn us in the North of England to perpetual Tory rule.

 

Nor I imagine do they want the perpetual rule of that fractured party of spivs, millionaires, landed gentry and other such chancers to determine their future, so who in fact could blame them?

23 hours ago, baboon said:

But while they are are facing the breakup of their own 'United' Kingdom

That is a statement of fact , rather than an opinion of what may or may not happen in the future .

13 minutes ago, sanemax said:

That is a statement of fact , rather than an opinion of what may or may not happen in the future .

OK, I concede. 'The potential breakup of the United Kingdom' is what I should have said.

But breakup it quite possibly will, given the current chaos.

6 minutes ago, baboon said:

OK, I concede. 'The potential breakup of the United Kingdom' is what I should have said.

But breakup it quite possibly will, given the current chaos.

Scotland would want "independence" and to be ruled by Brussels , rather than to have self rule within the UK .

   Let me think that through

1 minute ago, sanemax said:

Scotland would want "independence" and to be ruled by Brussels , rather than to have self rule within the UK .

   Let me think that through

Take it up with them, then.

On 2/4/2019 at 3:16 PM, webfact said:

Saudi Arabia, an absolute monarchy where public protests and political parties are banned, says it does not have political prisoners and denies torture allegations. Officials have said monitoring of activists is needed to ensure social stability.

well, at least they havent trumped up charges not executed them, yet