Clinton: Executions in Saudi Arabia Will Further Ignite the Region

Hillary Clinton, former Secretary of State and leading Democratic candidate for the presidential election, states that the execution of 47 individuals, including prominent Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr, in Saudi Arabia will "further ignite the Middle East." The leading Democratic candidate said in her campaign speech in New Hampshire on Sunday that if Saudi Arabia is trying to send a powerful message about resisting internal dissent and terrorist behavior in this way, it will only inflame the region further, and she believes it will lead to more opposition. Clinton emphasized that she does not think this is a "smart decision" by Saudi Arabia, even in the short or medium term, and she will openly criticize this approach. The former U.S. Secretary of State, in response to a question about how she would handle the current situation regarding executions in Saudi Arabia if she were president, stated that "this clearly raises serious questions that need to be addressed directly with the Saudi government." She added, "To be blunt, we cooperate with some governments on certain issues whose policies and values are in conflict with ours, but we certainly still have common interests that we are engaged in." Clinton also emphasized that she is aligned with other leaders, including in the United States, European countries, and human rights groups, in expressing concern over the executions. She noted that "in my opinion, even a [friendly] government with which we cooperate in various areas should not be immune from our criticism and questions regarding the rule of law in dealing with minority groups." In response to the mass execution of 47 individuals in Saudi Arabia, a topic that has been unprecedented in the country for three decades, the Obama administration, through State Department spokesperson John Kirby, expressed concern about the consequences and reminded that the United States has previously raised concerns about judicial processes in Saudi Arabia and discussed them with the highest officials of the Saudi government. Kirby also added that the U.S. once again urges the Saudi government to respect and support human rights and ensure a "transparent and fair process" in all judicial cases. Regarding the specific execution of Sheikh Nimr, he said that they are particularly concerned that the execution of Nimr al-Nimr will "carry the risk of exacerbating sectarian tensions," and in this regard, "we again emphasize the necessity for regional leaders to work harder to reduce regional tensions." However, the attack by protesters on the Saudi embassy in Tehran provoked a stronger reaction in Washington, and Elizabeth Trudeau, another State Department spokesperson, strongly condemned the attack on diplomatic premises. Trudeau also called on Iran and Saudi Arabia to refrain from any actions that could lead to increased tensions. On Sunday, the EU's foreign policy chief held separate calls with the foreign ministers of Iran and Saudi Arabia, sharing the Union's concerns about rising tensions in the Middle East and especially the "risk to peace efforts in Syria." In this context, Mogherini shared concerns about rising tensions with both Iran and Saudi Arabia.