Despite mounting concern over human rights abuses in Saudi Arabia, the subject was not introduced in a meeting between US President Barack Obama and Saudi King Abdullah on Friday, according to a US official.
In a meeting at the 89-year-old king’s lavish residence at Rawdat Khuraim, northeast of the capital, Riyadh, Obama and Abdullah met for more than two hours. Much of the conversation focused on Iran and Syria, leaving no time to raise human rights issues, Reuters quoted an official as saying.
"Today, given the extent of time they spent on Iran and Syria, they didn't get to a number of issues, and it wasn't just human rights," the official said.
Human rights groups had urged Obama to mention a controversial new anti-terror law in the Saudi kingdom that any act that undermines the security of the state may be treated as an act of terrorism. The legislation comes as Saudi leaders look to increase their grip on power following the “Arab Spring” that swept away many autocratic regimes in 2011.
“The new law is draconian in spirit and letter, and there is every reason to fear that the authorities will easily and eagerly use it against peaceful dissidents,” said Adam Coogle, a researcher at Human Rights Watch. Full story...
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In a meeting at the 89-year-old king’s lavish residence at Rawdat Khuraim, northeast of the capital, Riyadh, Obama and Abdullah met for more than two hours. Much of the conversation focused on Iran and Syria, leaving no time to raise human rights issues, Reuters quoted an official as saying.
"Today, given the extent of time they spent on Iran and Syria, they didn't get to a number of issues, and it wasn't just human rights," the official said.
Human rights groups had urged Obama to mention a controversial new anti-terror law in the Saudi kingdom that any act that undermines the security of the state may be treated as an act of terrorism. The legislation comes as Saudi leaders look to increase their grip on power following the “Arab Spring” that swept away many autocratic regimes in 2011.
“The new law is draconian in spirit and letter, and there is every reason to fear that the authorities will easily and eagerly use it against peaceful dissidents,” said Adam Coogle, a researcher at Human Rights Watch. Full story...
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