The British government has been accused of deliberately avoiding criticism of Saudi Arabia’s use of the death penalty, while senior Tories are calling for “more” pressure on the Gulf state.
Foreign Minister Leo Docherty sparked a wave of protests after he told Parliament that the recent execution of a man was not a violation of Saudi Arabia’s moratorium on the death penalty for drug-related crimes.
Hussein Abu al-Khair, the father of eight, was executed last month for smuggling amphetamines, although his family claims he forced him to confess under torture.
Mr. Doherty twice told MPs that the moratorium only covers drug use and not drug smuggling, despite Saudi leader Mohammed bin Salman’s earlier statement that only violent criminals would be killed.
Mohammed bin Salman, the crown prince and de facto ruler, said of the death penalty: “We will completely abolish it” except when “someone kills another person” or “threatens the lives of many people.”
But in response to a burning question in the House of Commons, Mr Docherty told MPs: “I understand that the moratorium is about drug use, not drug smuggling, and this case involves an indictment and conviction for smuggling, not drug use, which I consider relevant. “.
Human rights activists say the comments are new evidence that the British government is softening criticism of Saudi abuses and argue that the execution could have been stopped if the protests had been stronger.
The UK has not publicly criticized a planned execution since 2015, when a pro-democracy protester’s life was spared following David Cameron’s intervention.
In December, his fellow minister, David Rutley, was described as “spineless” after demanding evidence from him that Mr. al-Khair was “tortured” into making a false confession in order to exclude him from parliamentary records.
Protests need to be stepped up urgently, activists say, as Abdullah al-Khowaiti, who was only 14 years old when he was first charged with robbery and murder despite having an alibi, is among those on death row.
Former Conservative Cabinet Secretary David Davies said the moratorium applies to “all drug-related crime, not just drug use”, while former Conservative Secretary Crispin Blunt said “knowledge” issues clash with “relevant issues,” the State Department warned.
Jid Basouni of human rights organization Reprieve said: “The minister who misled parliament about the use of the death penalty in Saudi Arabia is fueling fears that the government is joining one of the world’s most repressive regimes.”
A bipartisan letter to Secretary of State James Cleverly suggests clearing up the moratorium knowledge confusion and advocating publicly for “saving Abdullah’s life.”
Mr Davis said I: “I firmly believe that a stronger intervention could have saved Hussein’s life. History shows that if we want Saudi Arabia to take us seriously, the Foreign Minister must publicly protest with execution threats.”
Blunt added: “If we want to protect others, we must loudly urge Saudi Arabia not to execute them.” Private agencies will not be enough.”
A spokesman for the Foreign Office said: “The UK Government opposes the use of the death penalty in principle in all circumstances. The Saudi government is aware of the UK’s opposition to the use of the death penalty, which we regularly raise with them.”