No Red Carpet for Repression: EU Summit with MBS Aids in Whitewashing Saudi Arabia’s Brutal Record
Together for Justice expresses its deep concern over the European Union’s decision to host Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) at the recent Brussels summit, marking a disturbing step in the crown prince’s international rehabilitation, just six years after the brutal murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. By welcoming MBS to this high-profile event, the EU risks helping Saudi Arabia in its continued efforts to wash away its record of human rights abuses and violent repression of dissent.
The Brussels Summit, which included representatives from six Gulf countries, sends a dangerous signal that Saudi Arabia’s repressive practices can be overlooked in favor of political and economic interests. MBS, notorious for overseeing rampant human rights abuses, has been actively working to rehabilitate his international image while continuing his regime’s suppression of free speech, peaceful activism, and even social media criticism.
Whitewashing Through Diplomacy
Together for Justice strongly condemns this summit as yet another attempt by Saudi Arabia to “sportswash” or “diplomacy-wash” its egregious human rights record. Since the murder of Khashoggi, Saudi Arabia has been on an aggressive campaign to rebrand itself on the global stage, engaging in large-scale international events while repression inside the Kingdom has only worsened. According to Amnesty International, Saudi Arabia has already executed at least 198 people in 2024, the highest number since 1990. Under MBS’s leadership, even tweets criticizing the government have led to prison sentences or even death.
Complicity in Repression
The EU’s decision to hold a summit with MBS without prioritizing human rights is not only tone-deaf but deeply complicit. By rolling out the red carpet for a leader responsible for horrific human rights abuses, the EU risks undermining its own commitments to international human rights standards. Claudio Francavilla, associate EU director at Human Rights Watch, emphasized that MBS is trying to portray himself as a reformer, but under his rule, Saudi repression has never been stronger
There are countless ways for the EU to engage with Saudi Arabia on issues like trade and security without offering legitimacy to a regime that continues to stifle free expression and commit atrocities. This summit, instead of fostering human rights dialogue, serves as a show of closeness that effectively helps Saudi Arabia in its ongoing efforts to whitewash its bloody reputation.
Call to Action
Together for Justice calls on the European Union and its member states to take a principled stand by tying diplomatic engagement with Saudi Arabia to genuine human rights reforms. The international community must stop enabling Saudi Arabia’s human rights violations by normalizing relations without demanding accountability. We urge the EU to publicly address these concerns, push for the release of prisoners of conscience, and end its participation in the regime’s attempts to rehabilitate its image while continuing to commit gross abuses.