A rights group filed a lawsuit against Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during his visit to France on Tuesday, accusing him of complicity in torture and inhumane treatment in Yemen, lawyers said.

PARIS: A rights group filed a lawsuit against Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during his visit to France on Tuesday, accusing him of complicity in torture and inhumane treatment in Yemen, lawyers said.

The complaint on behalf of Taha Hussein Mohamed, director of the Legal Center for Rights and Development (LCRD), said the prince who is Saudi Arabia's defence minister was responsible attacks that hit civilians in Yemen.

The case was filed in a Paris court as pressure grows on President Emmanuel Macron to curb arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which spearhead a coalition fighting Iran-aligned Houthi rebels who control of most of northern Yemen and the capital Sanaa.

A Saudi government communications office and the royal court did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Saudi-led coalition regularly says it does not target civilians.

The rights group, based in the Houthi-controlled Yemeni capital Sanaa, says on its website it monitors and documents rights' violations in Yemen.

"He ordered the first bombings on Yemeni territory on March 25, 2015," the group's lawyers, Joseph Breham and Hakim Chergui, said in the complaint seen by Reuters.

"The existence of indiscriminate shelling by the coalition armed forces affecting civilian populations in Yemen can be qualified as acts of torture," they wrote.

The lawsuit may embarrass Macron at a delicate moment in French-Saudi relations. France is the world's third biggest arms exporter and counts the kingdom as one of its biggest buyers.

The lawyers cited U.N. reports and documentation by rights groups such as Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and Oxfam on arbitrary detentions and the use of illegal cluster bombs.

Authorities will now begin studying the suit and decide whether there is a basis to take further legal action. If the case follows the usual course, the prince would be informed of the legal action, but there would be no move to make him attend a hearing or detain him.

The Yemen conflict has killed more than 10,000 people and displaced more than 3 million - more than 10 percent of the population.

The complaint also accuses the coalition of depriving millions of people of access to basic necessities due to indiscriminate bombings and a naval blockade of Yemeni ports. The war has pushed the country to the brink of famine.

Coalition air strikes targeting Houthi fighters have frequently hit civilian areas, although the alliance denies ever doing so intentionally.

The coalition also says it is providing financial support to help aid agencies and humanitarian groups to help civilians.

The lawyers said French courts were competent to handle the case in line with the United Nations convention against torture.

Seventy-five percent of French people want Macron to suspend arms exports to Gulf Arab states. Several rights groups have warned of possible legal action if the government does not halt its sales. </s> Paris (AFP) - Rights groups on Monday urged President Emmanuel Macron to pressure visiting Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman over the war in Yemen, warning that Riyadh may be using French weapons in the conflict.

"France is potentially an accomplice to serious violations of humanitarian laws by selling weapons and military equipment to Saudi Arabia, given what we know is taking place in Yemen," said Aurelie Perrier, coordinator for Yemen and Saudi Arabia at Amnesty International France.

"We want to ask President Macron to stop arms transfers to Saudi Arabia and to lift the blockade on Yemen," she told AFP at a protest under the Eiffel Tower as Prince Mohammed kicked off his visit to Paris.

Two other groups, the Weapons Observatory (Obsarm) and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), said the sheer volume of French weapons exports to Saudi pointed to the likelihood that they have been deployed in Yemen.

The groups said French exports included types of equipment reported to have been used in Yemen, including Leclerc tanks and Caesar howitzers, while "confidential testimony" also pointed to the presence of French arms on the ground.

"If these indicators do not constitute proof, they throw serious suspicion on the massive presence and use of French military equipment in Yemen," they said in a statement.

A Saudi-led coalition has been bombing and blockading Yemen since 2015 in a conflict that has left 10,000 people dead.

A combination of fighting, disease and food shortages has led the Unirws Nations to call it the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

Prime Minister Edouard Philippe's office insisted last month that French land weapons sold to Riyadh were "defensive" and being used in Saudi Arabia to deter cross-border attacks.

He added that "surveillance measures" to track the use of French weapons had been "strongly reinforced in recent months".

Government spokesman Benjamin Griveaux said Monday there was a "clear interest for French industry" in continuing arms exports to Riyadh.

"It's an important part of our diplomacy," he said, while adding: "That doesn't mean turning a blind eye."

As the 32-year-old crown prince continues an international charm offensive that has included stops in the United States, Britain and Egypt, rights groups urged Macron to pressure his guest on human rights violations.

"Saudi Arabia remains one of the worst countries in the world in terms of its human rights record," Perrier said.

The prince has used his tour to project his reforms -- including the historic lifting of a ban on women driving, the revival of cinemas and tolerance for mixed-gender concerts -- as part of his pledge to return the kingdom to moderate Islam.

Prince Mohammed "considers himself a revolutionary, but if so, then he has to end the institutionalised oppression that has continued to build even after he came to power," said Amnesty France director Sylvie Brigot-Vilain.

"Especially regarding voices that oppose the regime, who increasingly find themselves behind bars." </s> PARIS (Reuters) - President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday defended French weapons sales to the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen, but said he was concerned by the humanitarian situation and would host a conference on the issue before the summer.

Pressure has been mounting on Macron to scale back arms support for Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which are leading the coalition fighting the Iran-aligned Houthi group that controls most of northern Yemen and the capital Sanaa.

The conflict has killed more than 10,000 people and displaced more than 3 million, with no sign of a diplomatic breakthrough to ease the crisis.

Seventy-five percent of French people want Macron to suspend arms exports to Saudi Arabia and the UAE, a YouGov poll found. Several rights groups also have warned of possible legal action if the government does not halt its sales.

“Since the start of the conflict in Yemen, France has adopted a very specific process whereby all sales of military equipment are analyzed on a case-by-case basis and on the basis of reinforced criteria that reflect respect for international humanitarian law and the risk of harm to civilian populations,” Macron said at a news conference alongside Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

France is the world’s third biggest arms exporter and counts the two countries among its biggest purchasers.

Unlike many of its allies, French export licensing procedures have no parliamentary checks or balances. They are approved through a committee headed by the prime minister that includes the foreign, defense and economy ministries.

Details of licenses are not public and, once approved, are rarely reviewed.

Stressing concerns over the humanitarian situation, Macron said he would host a conference in the coming months to see what more could be done, although he backed the Saudi-led coalition’s actions in Yemen.

“France’s position is clear: full support for the security of Saudi Arabia, condemnation of the ballistic activity coming from the Houthis, willingness to find a political solution to the conflict and strong humanitarian demands on civilian populations,” Macron said.

A Yemeni rights group on Tuesday filed a lawsuit against Prince Mohammed in France, accusing him of complicity in torture and inhumane treatment in Yemen, lawyers said.

When asked about civilian casualties, Prince Mohammed said his country was working to modernize its rules of engagement to avoid civilian casualties, but said that in “military operations throughout history, whatever the country, there were mistakes.” </s> PARIS (Reuters) - President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday defended French weapons sales to the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen, but said he was concerned by the humanitarian situation and would host a conference on the issue before the summer.

 Pressure has been mounting on Macron to scale back arms support for Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which are leading the coalition fighting the Iran-aligned Houthi group that controls most of northern Yemen and the capital Sanaa.

 The conflict has killed more than 10,000 people and displaced more than 3 million, with no sign of a diplomatic breakthrough to ease the crisis.

 Seventy-five percent of French people want Macron to suspend arms exports to Saudi Arabia and the UAE, a YouGov poll found. Several rights groups also have warned of possible legal action if the government does not halt its sales.

 "Since the start of the conflict in Yemen, France has adopted a very specific process whereby all sales of military equipment are analyzed on a case-by-case basis and on the basis of reinforced criteria that reflect respect for international humanitarian law and the risk of harm to civilian populations," Macron said at a news conference alongside Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. 

 France is the world's third biggest arms exporter and counts the two countries among its biggest purchasers.

 Unlike many of its allies, French export licensing procedures have no parliamentary checks or balances. They are approved through a committee headed by the prime minister that includes the foreign, defense and economy ministries.

 Details of licenses are not public and, once approved, are rarely reviewed.

 Stressing concerns over the humanitarian situation, Macron said he would host a conference in the coming months to see what more could be done, although he backed the Saudi-led coalition's actions in Yemen.

 "France's position is clear: full support for the security of Saudi Arabia, condemnation of the ballistic activity coming from the Houthis, willingness to find a political solution to the conflict and strong humanitarian demands on civilian populations," Macron said.

 A Yemeni rights group on Tuesday filed a lawsuit against Prince Mohammed in France, accusing him of complicity in torture and inhumane treatment in Yemen, lawyers said.

 When asked about civilian casualties, Prince Mohammed said his country was working to modernize its rules of engagement to avoid civilian casualties, but said that in "military operations throughout history, whatever the country, there were mistakes." 

 

 (Reporting by John Irish; Editing by Michel Rose and Mark Potter) </s> RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — A Saudi minister on Wednesday slammed as “unfounded” a UN expert report calling for those involved in the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi to be held accountable.

“It is not new. The [UN] report reiterates what has already been published and circulated in the media,” Adel al-Jubeir, Saudi minister of state for foreign affairs, said on Twitter.

“The report… contains clear contradictions and unfounded allegations, casting doubt on its credibility.”

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The report by Agnes Callamard, the UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, said there was “credible evidence” linking Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to Khashoggi’s murder inside the kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul last October.

Callamard said it was clear “the execution of Mr. Khashoggi was the responsibility of the state of Saudi Arabia,” while calling on UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to initiate a formal international criminal investigation into the case.

Saudi prosecutors have absolved the crown prince of responsibility.

Jubeir reiterated that the kingdom’s “competent” judicial authorities were holding trials of several people arrested over the killing.

The kingdom’s public prosecutor last November indicted 11 unnamed suspects, including five who could face the death penalty over the murder.

Diplomats from the UN Security Council’s permanent members — Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States — as well as Turkey and Saudi human rights organizations are allowed to attend the legal proceedings, Jubeir said.

The proceedings are held entirely in Arabic, diplomatic sources have told AFP.

The diplomats are not allowed to bring interpreters and are usually summoned at short notice, the sources added.

Callamard, an independent human rights expert who does not speak for the UN, said probes by Saudi Arabia and Turkey “failed to meet international standards regarding the investigation into unlawful deaths.”

Her report specifically came across evidence that the crime scenes were “thoroughly, even forensically, cleaned” by the Saudis, in what “may amount to obstructing justice.”

Callamard said Prince Mohammed must have been aware of the cover-up efforts.

The UN expert also insisted that any international sanctions over Khashoggi’s killing “ought also to include the crown prince and his personal assets abroad.” </s> DUBAI (Reuters) - Human Rights Watch accused Saudi Arabia on Thursday of violating international humanitarian law in Yemen and stepping up arrests and prosecutions of activists seeking reform or voicing peaceful dissent.

In its World Report 2018, which reviews human rights practices in more than 90 countries, the rights group reported it had documented 87 unlawful attacks by the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen, leading to nearly 1,000 civilian deaths.

 Yemen's internationally recognized government, backed by the coalition and supported by the United States and Britain, is trying to roll back the Iran-aligned Houthi militia which controls most of northern Yemen.

 The coalition has repeatedly denied allegations of war crimes and says its attacks are directed against its Houthi foes, not civilians.

 A spokesperson for the coalition, in a statement responding to the report, said it was "unfair" to blame Saudi Arabia for the humanitarian situation in Yemen, adding that it had established an oversight mechanism which found that the coalition did not target civilians.

 "The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has given more than $8 billion in aid to Yemen from 2015 until 2017 and on Wednesday deposited $2 billion in the Central Bank of Yemen of the legitimate government, with the aim of boosting the country’s financial and economic situation while bolstering the Yemeni Riyal to improve the people’s living conditions," the statement said.

 Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has rocketed to the pinnacle of power in Saudi Arabia, pushing a reform agenda called Vision 2030 aimed at weaning the country off oil and introducing social changes.

 Last week, women were allowed to attend a men's soccer match in stadiums for the first time. This week, women-focused motorshows opened in Jeddah and Riyadh and a decades-long ban on screening films in the conservative kingdom was lifted. 

 Meanwhile, the New York-based Human Rights Watch said, more than a dozen prominent political activists convicted on "vague charges arising from their peaceful activities" were serving lengthy prison sentences.

 “Mohammad bin Salman's well-funded image as a reformist falls flat in the face of Yemen's humanitarian catastrophe and scores of activists and political dissidents languishing in Saudi prisons on spurious charges," said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch.

 "Baby steps on women's rights reforms don't paper over Saudi Arabia's systemic abuses."

 

 (Reporting by Dubai newsroom; Editing by Mark Heinrich) </s> Saudi Arabia’s public prosecutor is seeking the death penalty for five human rights activists who are currently being tried by the country’s terrorism tribunal, according to rights groups.

Among the detainees is Israa al-Ghomgham, who Saudi activists say is the first woman to face capital punishment for human rights-related work.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a statement on Tuesday the charges against the activists “do not resemble recogniseable crimes” and include “incitement to protest”, “chanting slogans hostile to the regime” and “providing moral support to rioters”.

Authorities have held the five activists, along with another not facing the death penalty, in pretrial detention without legal representation for more than two years.

They are due to appear in court again on October 28, according to HRW.

“Any execution is appalling, but seeking the death penalty for activists like Israa al-Ghomgham, who are not even accused of violent behaviour, is monstrous,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at HRW.

ALQST, a UK-based group advocating for human rights in Saudi Arabia, previously reported the public prosecutor’s decision on Twitter on Sunday.

The rights group also denied social media reports that the detainees had already been executed, saying the case was “still under review.”

A prominent activist, al-Ghomgham documented mass demonstrations in the kingdom’s Eastern Province from 2011, before being arrested along with her husband in 2015.

Ghomgham and the other activists are being tried by Saudi Arabia’s Specialized Criminal Court (SCC), which was set up in 2008 to try terrorism cases and has since been used to prosecute peaceful dissidents, according to HRW.

A deeply conservative absolute monarchy where public protests and political parties are banned, Saudi Arabia has enacted some high-profile social and economic reforms since Mohammed bin Salman became crown prince in June 2017.

Bin Salman has courted Western partners to support his economic reform plan, offering billions of dollars of arms sales and promising to modernise the kingdom.

In September 2017, King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud signed a royal degree lifting the ban on women driving and greater participation in the public sphere was opened up to women.

This has coincided with ongoing arrests of prominent Saudi women’s rights activists who had publicly advocated for gender equality, the right for women to drive and an end to the country’s male guardianship system, which threaten Bin Salman’s image as a reformer.

At least 13 women have been arrested since May. While a number have been released, nine remain held without charge.

“Every day, the Saudi monarchy’s unrestrained despotism makes it harder for its public relations teams to spin the fairy tale of ‘reform’ to allies and international business,” said Whitson.

“If the Crown Prince is truly serious about reform, he should immediately step in to ensure no activist is unjustly detained for his or her human-rights work”. </s> Saudi sovereignty over handling of case is not matter of bargaining

Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al Jubeir Image Credit: AFP

Riyadh: Saudi Arabia Wednesday said a report by a UN investigator on the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi last year was full of baseless allegations.

“The report of the rapporteur at the [UN] Human Rights Council includes clear contradictions and baseless allegations that strike at its credibility,” Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Al Jubeir said.

He added that the Saudi courts are independently handling the case, saying the kingdom’s sovereignty over the case is not a matter of bargaining. “The current trials in the case of the citizen Jamal Khashoggi are attended by representatives of the embassies of the five permanent member countries at the Security Council, in addition to Turkey and Saudi rights organisations,” Al Jubeir said.

“We strongly reject any attempt to touch the kingdom’s leadership, push the case out of the track of justice in the kingdom, or affect it in any form,” he said in a string of tweets.

Saudi investigations and trial in the case are underway, the Saudi official said. </s> RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s minister of state for foreign affairs rejected on Wednesday a U.N. report that said there is credible evidence that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and other high-level officials are liable for the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

“Nothing new…,” tweeted Adel al-Jubeir. “The report of the rapporteur in the human rights council contains clear contradictions and baseless allegations which challenge its credibility.”

Earlier, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and other senior Saudi officials should be investigated over the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi since there is credible evidence they are liable for his death, a U.N. rights investigator said on Wednesday.
A Yemeni human rights group files a war crimes complaint against Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Paris as the prince visits France.