Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia spends billions of dollars hosting major entertainment, cultural, and sporting events as a deliberate strategy to deflect from the country’s image as a pervasive human rights violator. Scores of human rights activists and dissidents remain in prison or on trial for their peaceful criticism. Authorities failed to hold high-level officials accountable for suspected involvement in the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018. Through 2021, the Saudi-led coalition continued a military campaign against the Houthi rebel group in Yemen that has included scores of unlawful airstrikes that have killed and wounded thousands of civilians.

Middle East/North Africa

November 21, 2022
Dispatches
Saudi Crown Prince Immunity Highlights US Failure to Seek Justice

Joey Shea

Researcher, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates
Free Speech

September 16, 2022
News Release
Saudi Arabia: Drop Baseless Investigation of US Citizen
Middle East/North Africa

August 19, 2022
News Release
Saudi Arabia: Woman Sentenced to 34 Years for Tweets

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January 5, 2022 Report

Ethiopia: Returned Tigrayans Detained, Abused

Saudi Arabia Should Stop Deporting Tigrayan Migrants to Ethiopia
July 25, 2021 Report

Saudi Arabia: Collective Punishment for Ex-Official’s Children

Arbitrary Travel Bans, Incommunicado Detention, Secret Appeal Hearing
October 2, 2020 Report

Saudi Arabia: ‘Image Laundering’ Conceals Abuses

New Human Rights Watch Campaign Against Whitewashing Rights Violations
August 13, 2020 Report

Yemen: Houthis Kill, Expel Ethiopian Migrants

Saudis Fire on Survivors, Detain Hundreds in Appalling Conditions