The rich and powerful gathered in Riyadh to catch President Donald Trump’s speech, including Saudi royalty and American billionaires. This talk marked the dismissal of what Trump referred to as previous U.S. meddling in the affluent Gulf nations’ business. As Trump made clear at this week’s Saudi investment forum, the era of American officials boarding flights to the Middle East to instruct you on ways of living, and managing your own affairs, had come to an end.
Of all the audience members present, none sat closer or paid more attention than the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman. Everyday residents of the Arab world, including Saudi journalists, rights advocates, entrepreneurs, writers and those who had fled the kingdom, also tuned in. Their concern revolved around the potential implications of Trump’s words: it seemed the United States was retreating from its inconsistent, but nonetheless significant, role as a proponent of global human rights.
This distress was particularly palpable for Abdullah Alaoudh. His father, a 68-year-old Saudi cleric with a vast following, was one of hundreds of royal family members, civil society individuals, rights advocates, and others incarcerated during Prince Mohammed’s initial ascendancy to power. Sadness over witnessing the unfolding situation was profound, confessed Abdullah.
In response to mounting international scrutiny and isolation, it appears that Saudi Arabia has made some progressive strides. Many of the previously imprisoned individuals have been liberated, signifying, as some organizations suggest, an enhancement in the crown prince’s human rights track record. However, not everyone shares in this newfound freedom, including Abdullah’s father, Salman Alaoudh.
As Abdullah claims, Trump was addressing the torturer of his father and the individual responsible for his family’s travel ban in the kingdom. Positioned in the United States, Abdullah continues to champion the cause of those confined and imprisoned in Saudi Arabia.
In stark contrast to more typical U.S. excursions to autocratic nations with dubious human rights records, Trump’s first major trip of his second term, which covered Qatar and the United Arab Emirates in addition to Saudi Arabia, brushed aside the issue of human rights. While some attribute this to improvements in human rights within Saudi Arabia, others point to an overall worsening human rights situation on U.S. soil.
Take, for instance, Ibrahim Almadi, a Florida resident who sought U.S. assistance to bring his father home from Saudi Arabia. His attempts to secure a commitment from a Republican legislator or another official, urging Trump to address his father’s case, proved fruitless.
Witnessing these developments, some Saudis who sought refuge in the U.S. are reportedly retreating from public commentary and criticism of Saudi officials on social media. Chastened by the outcry and initial isolation following the Khashoggi incident, Prince Mohammed has discreetly released some prisoners, including those held for advocating women’s rights to drive, airing critical views on Twitter, or proposing variations in Saudi policy.
Despite these relatively progressive actions, numerous individuals continue to find themselves behind bars, while thousands, including Almadi, face travel bans according to human rights organizations. These same organizations suggest another reason activists are remaining more withdrawn than usual during Trump’s visit – the declining reputation of human rights in the U.S. itself.
The Trump administration claims to be working towards a ceasefire. However, according to Sarah Leah Whitson, in the current state of affairs, any critique from Americans regarding another country’s human rights violations is laughable.
With its own human rights reputation under scrutiny, Whitson argues the U.S. lacks the moral, legal, and credibility standing to reproach another nation at this current moment. In the eyes of the world, it seems, the scales of accountability are tipping unfavorably towards the U.S.
While the clamor for human rights continues to reverberate around the world, it seems many have adopted a more cautious approach. This caution comes in response to an administration that seems increasingly disinterested in holding power to account, whether at home or abroad.
As we assess the trajectory of the Arab world in these complex times, it appears that the U.S., under Trump’s leadership, is opting to prioritize geopolitics over human rights. Given the devastating impact of global neglect on human rights, this leaves a vacuum of advocacy for those most in need.
While some would attribute this to a shifting balance of power or a reconsideration of national interest, for those like Abdullah and Ibrahim Almadi, the nuances are irrelevant. For them, and countless others languishing in uncertainty, the pursuit of justice grows more desperate.
Ultimately, it’s a pressing concern how the U.S.’s retreat from its formerly powerful stance on human rights will impact future global negotiations and alliances. The time has come for harder questions about what kind of world we want to build and which values we truly want to uphold.
The post Biden’s Silent Stand on Human Rights Failure in Saudi Arabia appeared first on Real News Now.
About Author
