KNews.id- The investigative panel of British Parliament members found the detention of former Saudi Arabian prince Mohammed bin Nayef violated international law. They say the detention will weaken the security of Saudi Arabia itself and Western countries.
Mohammed bin Nayef was detained in March when the current crown prince Mohammed bin Salman consolidated his rule. The Panel of Members of the British Parliament said that since last March Bin Nayef's weight dropped dramatically.
"His joints ached, especially in his knees, making it difficult to walk comfortably without assistance and there is evidence of injuries to his legs, increasing pain when walking," the panel of MPs said in their findings as quoted by the Guardian.
"He also cannot contest his detention before an independent and impartial court, does not have access to a lawyer to discuss his situation and his case is not reviewed to determine whether his detention is worth continuing," the member of the British Parliament added in the report.
The panel also said Bin Nayef was not allowed to see his doctor or his family. They added that Bin Nayef had just come out of solitary confinement after being held there for nine months.
But he was threatened with being put back in solitary confinement if he did not release his money in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The panel called the threat coercive.
They claim this is in the interest of the international community and Saudi Arabia itself must urgently address their record of human rights abuses.
"To be able to defend and explain these actions so that there is no room for embarrassment before a global public opinion court," the panel said.
They also said the failure of Saudi Arabia to comply with human rights standards around the world would weaken security in the country and Western countries. The Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to the UK has held an informal meeting with the chair of the panel on the objectives of the panel. Saudi Arabia refused to cooperate with the panel.
The panel said they were disappointed by the lack of cooperation from the Saudi Arabian government. Saudi authorities are likely to dispute the report as an attempt to bring down the Kingdom and its rulers.
Former chair of the British Parliament's foreign affairs committee and chair of this panel Crispin Blunt sees Saudi Arabia as an ally of Britain in the Arabian Gulf. He also defended Saudi Arabia's right to accept British weapons to fight in Yemen. Human rights law firm Bindmans is the panel's legal advisor.
With almost no cooperation from the Saudi Arabian government, the panel had more information from Saudi dissidents, senior US government officials, human rights groups and apparently Bin Nayef's allies. (AHM)
