Saudi Arabia, seeking to position itself as a global player on human rights issues, is ambitiously bidding for a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC). The vote, scheduled for October 9, aims to help the Kingdom reverse its earlier failure to secure this influential position. Yet, observers express serious concerns about its human rights record, particularly as it has recently set troubling benchmarks for executions. 206 individuals have been put to death so far this year, obliteratings its own record of 196 executions set just last year.
This shocking statistic casts a shadow over the Kingdom's attempts to champion human rights on the world stage. Countries around the globe will be weighing their votes for UNHRC based on human rights practices within candidate nations. Many human rights advocates are raising alarms over Saudi Arabia's bloody track record, prompting questions about whether it deserves to sit alongside nations tasked with the promotion and protection of human rights.
The Kingdom had previously stated through the Saudi Human Rights Commission, back in 2020, its commitment to cease executions for crimes committed as minors as part of their proclaimed human rights reform. This statement, declared under the rank of the royal decree, led some to believe Saudi Arabia was poised for social reforms under the ambitious Vision 2030 plan laid out by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, widely known as MBS. The plan was interpreted by some as moving toward increased liberalization within the Kingdom. Yet the subsequent actions suggest otherwise, as the state continues to execute individuals for crimes committed when they were minors.
Reports indicate troubling patterns have persisted rather than diminished, with the Kingdom focusing heavily on executing individuals for drug-related offenses and non-violent crimes. So far this year, out of the 206 executions, approximately 85 were for non-lethal offenses, including drug-related ones, with about 59 executed solely for drug crimes. This year marks the most lethal for death row prisoners in thirty years.
Jeed Basyouni from the nonprofit group Reprieve expressed doubts about the implementation of the human rights declarations made by Saudi authorities. She said, "They've never published the law -- it's never been made publicly accessible. We don't know what it actually says, but we do know it's not being implemented." They continue to ignore previous commitments, with real-life consequences for individuals such as Hassan al-Faraj, sentenced to death for activities from his childhood.
Al-Faraj, who is now 27, has faced horrendous conditions during his trial and detention. According to his family, he was arrested under murky allegations and had been subjected to solitary confinement for nearly three months, where he suffered physical and psychological torture, including beatings. He and other defendants like him face trials rife with opacity, intimidations against their families, and lack of proper legal representation.
Saudi authorities were largely unresponsive to queries about their current human rights practices, indicating either indifference toward international scrutiny or confidence in their impending UN seat bid. The dynamic poses ethical conundrums for Western nations, especially when considering their arms sales to Riyadh, which evidently implicates their own world view of human rights amid transactions.
The international outcry against Saudi Arabia has centered on its harsh justice system and the spiking execution rates. The controversial assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul remains one of the highlights of the West’s investigations and critique of the Kingdom. The blame game employed by the Saudi leadership saw them shifting responsibility to rogue operators. Such attempts to deflect scrutiny have not faded, and now observers see MBS himself tied closely to the rising execution numbers.
Basyouni stated assertively, "It's Mohammed bin Salman -- he is running the show, he makes the decisions. All laws must go through him." The Khashoggi incident briefly disrupted relations between Riyadh and some Western nations, but geopolitics seem to have reshuffled priorities, leading to renewed cooperation with Saudi Arabia amid contemporary conflicts.
Saudi Arabia’s strategic importance has been magnified by geopolitical tensions, especially following recent conflicts involving Israel and Hamas. The Kingdom has become pivotal once again, and Western nations are reconceiving their stances toward it. Many now employ the dance of diplomacy with the Kingdom, especially examining its role as “Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques,” referring to its responsibility for Mecca and Medina.
Basyouni noted the dilemma, saying, "Saudi Arabia is quite intelligent at using these moments of chaos around the world. They're quite good at knowing when public attention is distracted, when there's no space in newspapers to cover this." This dark awareness could explain how the Kingdom managed to carry out the largest mass execution, killing 81 men, just days after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, leaving many to question whether the lightning of international tension has stifled global scrutiny on human rights.
While the UN seat bid puts human rights frameworks front and center, analysts argue it is unlikely to change the realities inside Saudi Arabia. Basyouni reiterated, "Saudi Arabia has no respect for these institutions. They are consistently lying to the UN and the UN Human Rights Council every opportunity they get." She extrapolated, stating the current ethos will likely persist regardless of any ability to join the council.
The suffering of families with loved ones on death row continues amid these dreadful conditions. “All we want is safety for our son,” exclaimed Faraj's family, reflecting the harrowing tension and uncertainty they face. Contributors like Ibrahim, another relative of those on death row, stressed the fears around sharing any information about human rights violations, indicating potential reprisals by Saudi authorities for speaking out.
The stark reality remains: the Kingdom’s human rights narrative is steeped in contradictions. Anyone intending to raise these issues risks severe repercussions from the authorities. Ibrahim lamented, “If you have the money, you have the power,” underscoring the imbalances permeated within the Kingdom and international dealings. The complex layers of the situation leave many pondering if the forthcoming UN Human Rights Council seat could merely paper over the cracks of systemic abuses rather than heralding meaningful reform.
