Protests in France against arms sales to Saudi

Human rights activists organized protests in France to press for a halt to French arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

This protest, organized by Amnesty International France, is the seventh of its kind, and it coincides with the passage of 6 years since the start of the war in Yemen.

On its Twitter account, the organization published pictures of protesters in Place de la Republique in Paris, raising banners “Stop France’s complicity in Yemen.”

Amnesty International said in a tweet that it “will organize a protest every Thursday to press for a halt to French arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the UAE.”

It added that the arms sales to the two countries “make France complicit in human rights violations in Yemen.”

Since September 2014, Yemen has undergone an ongoing war between the pro-government forces, backed by an Arab military coalition led by the Saudi neighbour and the Houthi militia, backed by Iran.

Frech Media Part investigation revealed that French companies train soldiers in the Saudi army. These companies have not stopped their activities since the start of military intervention in Yemen.

The investigation showed that the Kingdom had used aircraft, armoured vehicles, ships, and even missiles acquired from France in recent years Since the beginning of its military intervention in Yemen in 2015

It has aroused repeated human rights denunciations by NGOs.

The Saudi-led Arab coalition relied on great discretion on French expertise to train its fighting forces through French military training companies.

It supervises officers’ training in the Saudi army on the use of French-made Caesar cannons, according to those who supervised these exercises and referred to by documents obtained as part of this investigation.

The investigation indicates that the Cesar cannons made by the French company Nexter, and installed on off-road trucks, were acquired by Saudi Arabia during the last ten years.

And it obtained 132 species, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, which stated that Riyadh is waiting to receive further payments before the end of 2030.

The investigation confirms that according to these contracts, France has committed to training Saudi soldiers in the use of these weapons and cannons,

And that “Disclose” website revealed that many civilians in Yemen live under the threat of these weapons made in France.

Including about 50 howitzers, according to a confidential French military intelligence agency report.

With more than 50 per cent of the shares, the Defense Consay International company, in which France is the largest shareholder, has particularly supervised the use of the French Caesar cannons for Saudi soldiers.