UK lawyers call to suspend Saudi Arabia membership to UN Human Rights Council

February 1, 2018 at 2:40 pm | Published in: Europe & Russia, International Organisations, Iraq, Middle East, News, Saudi Arabia, UK, UN, Yemen source : Middle East Monitor

UN General Assembly. [File photo]

February 1, 2018 at 2:40 pm

Two British human rights lawyers yesterday called on the UN General Assembly to suspend Saudi Arabia’s membership to the UN Human Rights Council.

Lawyers Rodney Dixon QC and Lord Kenneth Donald John Macdonald accused Saudi Arabia of committing serious human rights violations, including the arrest of dozens of dissidents.

The report said Saudi dissidents and bloggers were arrested in September last year and kept in unknown places.

The report said the arrests are very secretive and it is difficult to know details about them, such as the identities of those detained or the charges against them.

Reuters has recently quoted sources as saying that Saudi Arabia sentenced human rights activists Mohammed Al-Otaibi and Abdullah Al-Atawi to 14 years and seven years in prison respectively.

The Kingdom accused the activists of establishing a human rights association about five years ago and publishing reports and information on media and social media networks about the situation in Saudi.

Read: Campaigners call on UK government to withdraw invitation to Saudi Crown Prince