International pressure may have caused the Saudi government to review the 1000 lash sentence given to blogger Raif Badawi, but it is only the latest reminder of the regime’s brutality.
The Saudi dictatorship, which has been listed as the fifth most authoritarian in the world by the Economist Democracy Index, is also the largest buyer in the world of UK weapons.
In its first four years the Coalition government has continued this long standing policy by licensing £3.8 billion worth of arms to the regime. This has included licences for combat aircrafts, components for bombs, weapon sights and tear gas.
The UK government has not just authorised these sales, it has also promoted them. Ministershave enjoyed a very close relationship with the Saudi rulers, and even UK Royals have been co-opted into promoting arms sales. This was evident last year when Prince Charles used a visit to Saudi Arabia to promote Eurofighter sales for BAE Systems.
Andrew Smith of Campaign Against Arms Trade said:
Saudi Arabia is an authoritarian state with an appalling human rights record. The fact that it is also the largest buyer in the world of UK weapons is a sign of the real hypocrisy at the heart of UK foreign policy.
The government should not be supporting or promoting any arms sales to Saudi Arabia. Instead it is working hand in glove with arms companies like BAE Systems that are looking to profit from the oppression taking place. These arms sales do not just provide military support, they also provide political support and a UK endorsement for the oppression taking place.
Around 270 UK Ministry of Defence civil servants and military personnel work in the UK and Saudi Arabia to support the contracts through the Ministry of Defence Saudi Armed Forces Programme (MODSAP) and the Saudi Arabia National Guard Communications Project (SANGCOM).
ENDS
For further information please contact Andrew at media(at)caat·org·uk or call 020 7281 0297.
