EU Hosts Controversial Summit with Saudi Crown Prince Amid Human Rights Concerns
Human rights activists have expressed strong condemnation over the European Union's decision to host Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) at an upcoming summit in Brussels, marking his significant return to the international stage six years following the gruesome murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. This event will see the Crown Prince participating alongside five other Gulf representatives from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, in what is termed the first summit between the EU and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
The summit, initiated by Charles Michel, the outgoing head of the European Council, is expected to reveal stark differences on various issues including the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and future trade relations. A senior EU official acknowledged the complexities of reaching consensus among the 27 EU member states, pointing out the inherent challenges in negotiating statements with the Gulf countries. "To be frank, that’s not easy with our 27 member states," the official remarked before the single-day meeting.
Concerns surrounding Prince Mohammed's presence are further intensified as reports from U.S. intelligence agencies concluded in 2021 that he had approved the murder of Khashoggi. The Washington Post columnist, who lived in exile, was one of the Saudi regime's most vocal critics. His horrifying assassination—marked by torture and dismemberment—inside the Saudi embassy in Istanbul triggered global outrage, temporarily branding the kingdom an international pariah. Saudi authorities have responded by claiming the act was orchestrated by rogue agents, while dismissing the intelligence findings of the U.S.
Notably, the ongoing rehabilitation of Prince Mohammed accelerated following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with U.S. President Joe Biden infamously greeting him with a fist bump during a visit to Saudi Arabia. This overture was followed by similar engagements from other world leaders, including British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and French President Emmanuel Macron.
However, several key leaders will be absent from the Gulf summit, with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk opting out, while Macron is expected to represent Scholz.
Claudio Francavilla, a Human Rights Watch associate director, criticized the portrayal of MBS as a reformist leader, emphasizing that the situation regarding human rights in Saudi Arabia has reportedly deteriorated under his leadership. He stated, "People got sentenced for decades in prison, even to death for some tweets." The upcoming EU summit poses the risk of helping the Crown Prince cleanse his notorious reputation, according to Francavilla.
Amnesty International reported a staggering rise in executions in Saudi Arabia, with at least 198 people executed in 2024 alone—the highest rate since 1990—raising alarms among human rights advocates.
Amid these grave concerns, a senior EU official presented the summit's goal as an attempt to forge a more strategic relationship with Gulf nations, particularly in light of the crises occurring in Ukraine and the Middle East. Although human rights issues are on the agenda, the EU remains uncertain about which leader will bring it up during the discussions, and a recent briefing note from the EU did not even mention human rights among the summit topics.
While discussions regarding the Middle East are anticipated to dominate the talks, the EU expresses a desire for Gulf nations to endorse a statement on Ukraine—a clause that has reportedly faced resistance, with Gulf states reluctant to even acknowledge Russia in the final agreement, which the EU views as unacceptable.
Francavilla emphasized the need for the EU to explore alternative channels to engage with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states, arguing, "You don’t need to roll out the red carpet. You don’t need to have a summit to engage. There are many ways in which you engage." He noted that the purpose of this summit appeared to be more about showcasing closeness than achieving substantive diplomatic progress.
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