Former UN official: The Saudi regime continues to pursue its opponents abroad

The Secretary-General of Amnesty International Agnes Callamard attacked the Saudi regime’s pursuit of their opponents abroad.

Callamard stressed the need for the US administration to pressure to use its influence for tangible improvements in the human rights situation in Saudi Arabia.

She emphasized that during her work as a special rapporteur for the United Nations, and now in her capacity as
the Secretary-General of Amnesty International, here are “leaders who will stop at nothing to silence those who
expose their abuses at home but now increasingly abroad.”

Saudi agents brutally pursued, murdered, and dismembered Virginia-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Istanbul consulate in October 2018.

In January, a declassified report from the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) blamed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

She criticized the failure of the United States to take action against Pence for Mann and did not face any accountability for this appalling act.

Callamard stressed that Egypt and Saudi Arabia are not the only perpetrators and said: “There is evidence of an
increase in the number of journalists, human rights defenders or political opponents seeking safety abroad.”

Yet, they are targeted by states or non-state actors, and they face electronic and other forms of surveillance,
threats, intimidation, physical attacks, kidnappings and killings.

She noted that Amnesty International has recently worked with partner organizations to reveal how the Israeli company NSO Group.

It sells malicious spyware to governments worldwide who use it to carry out exactly this cross-border crackdown.

“These repressive efforts by these governments are harmful not only because of the rights abuses they represent
but also because they have a chilling effect on global civil society,” Callamard said.

The New Yorker magazine has previously said that the Saudi regime uses social media to strengthen its power and spy on opponents.

The American magazine pointed out that in the era of digital tyranny, authoritarian regimes such as Beijing and
Riyadh are trying to use social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and other platforms.

She stated that Riyadh’s use of communication sites is a tool to enhance its power and control the online discourse of opponents.