Amnesty International Calls for Further Reforms in Saudi Arabia for Human Rights

Amnesty International welcomed the change of some laws in Saudi Arabia regarding women, calling it "insufficient" and demanding broader actions to restore the rights of not only women but also the Shia minority in the country and government opponents. In its statement, the human rights organization referred to the remarks of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and his promise for reforms and modernization of the country, which could be a sign of changes occurring in Saudi Arabia. Amnesty International states that since Mohammed bin Salman was appointed as the Crown Prince, he has launched a campaign aimed at improving the country's image in the world, as Riyadh recently announced that women now have the right to drive. According to Amnesty International, while this step is undoubtedly a move forward, it cannot be hidden that Saudi women still face widespread discrimination in other aspects of their lives. The organization further mentioned five issues that Saudi Arabia must address promptly to prove that Riyadh genuinely seeks reforms and is committed to implementing them. The first of these issues is the "abolition of the death penalty," a punishment that has led to the execution of at least 110 people in Saudi Arabia this year, placing the country among those with the highest execution rates. Amnesty International states that Saudi Arabia also uses the death penalty as a means to silence opponents and the Shia minority in the country. "Ending the harassment and attacks on opponents and respecting the principle of freedom of expression" is another demand made by Amnesty International for Saudi Arabia. The organization noted that nearly all independent activists and prominent opposition figures in Saudi Arabia are currently imprisoned for exercising their right to freedom of expression. Amnesty International also called for "ending systematic discrimination against women in Saudi Arabia," "stopping the harassment of the Shia minority," and "halting the killing of children in the Yemen war." Saudi Arabia leads a coalition against Houthi rebels in the Yemen war, and according to human rights organizations, its attacks have killed or injured thousands of civilians, many of whom are children. Statistics provided by the UN Secretary-General indicate that last year, 683 children were killed or injured during coalition attacks in Yemen.