Tomorrow, July 15th, United States President Joe Biden is scheduled to meet with Saudi dictator Mohammed bin Salman (MBS). In a letter last month, the Human Rights Foundation (HRF) called on President Biden to cancel his visit to Saudi Arabia, signaling his priority for human rights over any perceived short-term financial or political gains. HRF has not received a response from the Biden administration.
HRF also joined 12 other organizations in signing a joint letter, urging President Biden to тАЬsecure genuine progress on human rights before acting in a manner that would bolster the status of the crown prince and his government, which routinely and callously abuses the rights of its own citizens.тАЭ
HRF continues to seek justice for the thousands of dissidents who have fallen victim to Saudi ArabiaтАЩs dictatorship тАФ including Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi. On June 15th, in light of President BidenтАЩs upcoming visit, HRF hosted a screening of тАЬTHE DISSIDENT,тАЭ a 2020 documentary that follows the brutal murder of Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey.
Most recently, HRF Senior Fellow Bethany AlHaidari published a powerful op-ed, detailing her horrific experience trapped within Saudi ArabiaтАЩs repressive kafala laws. AlHaidari again calls on President Biden to тАЬprioritize human rights ahead of this meeting.тАЭ Read the full op-ed below.
