UK Government urged to reveal role in getting Saudi Arabia onto UN Human Rights Council

Last Updated: January 4, 2016By
David Cameron (and the Conservative Government) seems to have far too close a relationship with Saudi Arabia.

David Cameron (and the Conservative Government) seems to have far too close a relationship with Saudi Arabia.

The Government has been called upon to clarify the role it played in voting Saudi Arabia’s onto the UN Human Rights Council, after the kingdom executed 47 people in a single day sparking a backlash across the Middle East.

Diplomatic cables released by Wikileaks last year purported to show that the UK was involved in a secret vote-trading deal to help ensure both countries a place on the influential panel.

The exchanges, related to the November 2013 vote in New York, were published by The Australian newspaper and have never been commented on by UK officials. Both Britain and Saudi Arabia were later named among the 47 member states of the UNHRC, following the secret ballot.

David Cameron has been accused by human rights campaigners of “turning a blind eye” to Saudi abuses, particularly in light of the killings this weekend that included the prominent Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr.

And speaking to The Independent, there were cross-party calls for the Government to issue a full response to last year’s alleged leak.

Source: Exclusive: UK Government urged to reveal its role in getting Saudi Arabia onto UN Human Rights Council | UK Politics | News | The Independent

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No Comments

  1. Terry Davies January 4, 2016 at 8:46 am - Reply

    typical tories. Trade at all costs with ethics a second or even third consideration in their priority system.
    remember the holocaust. shame on those who used a vote to reelect them.

    • casalealex January 4, 2016 at 10:35 am - Reply

      ^^^^^^^ Saudi Arabia Cuts Diplomatic Ties With Iran, Foreign Minister Says

  2. mohandeer January 5, 2016 at 11:20 pm - Reply

    Did you know that Saudi Arabia sent 1,500 troops and the UEA 500 police to quell the protests against the wahhabist rulers of the predominantly Shi’ite population of Bahrain? Bahrain discriminates against shi’ites and even though the opposition had a 55% majority the Sunni “Royals” who have no entitlement to the claim, still killed any protesters against their murderous regime and imprisoned many people who dared to speak out against the Bahrain/Saudi Sunni extremist bullies, whose human rights are the worst in the ME. Unlike the propaganda lies of the MSM suggesting Assad treated his people anything like the monstrous Kuwaiti, Qatari, UAE, Saudi states.

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