As world leaders gathered for the G20 Summit hosted by Saudi Arabia on November 21-22, HRF launched a podcast series, Eyes on Saudi, to expose pressing human rights issues in the Kingdom. Through this series, HRF aims to spotlight the great lengths to which the Saudi regime goes in order to improve its image globally and whitewash its grave human rights record.
Trapped in Saudi Arabia: The Kafala System
What is the Kafala system, and is it a form of slavery? Are Saudi Arabia’s reforms of the notoriously brutal Kafala sponsorship system legitimate or just another cosmetic change to gloss over serious human rights issues in the country?
This episode looks at Saudi Arabia’s oppressive Kafala sponsorship system and the recent “Labor Relation Initiative,” announced by the government as a purported reform to the Kafala system with eased contractual restrictions for foreign workers in Saudi Arabia.
HRF’s Michelle Gulino and the Saudi American Justice Project’s Executive Director Bethany AlHaidari discuss how the Saudi regime has used this alleged “reform” to improve the Kingdom’s global image and detract attention from its human rights abuses, particularly in the lead-up to the G20 Summit. AlHaidari argues that these superficial reforms are a “necessity” because they encourage foreign investment and legitimize the regime. If Saudi Arabia really wants to improve its image, it must fully abolish the Kafala system.
“The only unprecedented change was that repression in the Kingdom now happens to anyone, indiscriminately…These are unprecedented times of egregious human rights violations so Saudi Arabia has been even more aggressive on the campaign to improve its image.”
– Bethany Alhaidari, Executive Director of the Saudi American Justice Project
Listen to Trapped in Saudi Arabia: The Kafala System on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Youtube
Saudi Arabia’s Sportswashing & PR Entertainment Campaigns
Nobody understands the power of celebrity better than Saudi Arabia. That’s why multi-million dollar investments in sporting events, concerts, and influencer trips are central to Mohammed bin Salman’s (MBS’) efforts to rebrand as a progressive reformist.
MBS’ regime encourages international sporting franchises, such as the Dakar Rally or Formula 1, to host events in the Kingdom, has sought investments in the Premier League, and regularly invites pop stars to perform at concerts. The goal of these investments is not to promote the sport or music industries in Saudi Arabia, but rather to buy positive press coverage.
Guests in this episode stress the importance of speaking out in defense of human rights in Saudi Arabia: money talks, and companies and celebrities will willfully ignore human rights concerns until international pressure forces them to change their position. No one wants to be a friend to dictators, which is why public advocacy is so important.
“Right now, the MBS regime sees no limits to pushing activists into prison since he gets such a warm response abroad.”
– Karim Zadin, investigative journalist
Listen to Saudi Arabia’s Sportswashing & PR Entertainment Campaigns on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Youtube
How Saudi Arabia Uses Spy Tech to Hunt Critics Around The World
The Citizen Lab works to track the global impact of the surveillance industry, identifying people who have been hacked, and exposing perpetrators.
In this episode of Eyes on Saudi, John Scott-Railton and Bill Marczak from The Citizen Lab shine a light on Saudi Arabia’s use of advanced spyware technology to hunt critics and dissidents around the world. They dive into the case of Saudi activist Omar Abdulaziz, whose devices were hacked in order to intimidate and silence him. Guests also provide advice on basic ways to protect ourselves from government surveillance.
“There’s a new normal in the world of surveillance…today, all you need is a checkbook…Saudi Arabia has come into its own as a consumer of these technologies.”
– John Scott-Railton, Senior Researcher at The Citizen Lab.
Listen to How Saudi Arabia Uses Spy Tech to Hunt Critics Around the World on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Youtube
The Dissident Film
Next month, HRF’s acclaimed film “The Dissident” — directed by Academy Award-winning director Bryan Fogel — will open in theaters around the world, exposing the murderous regime of Mohammed bin Salman in Saudi Arabia and revealing the truth behind the assassination of Jamal Khashoggi. For updates on the film and theatrical release information, check out @TheDissidentMov on Twitter.
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