Saudi Arabia takes over G20 presidency from Japan amid outrage over human rights

Saudi Arabia became the first Arab country to take over the presidency of G20, in an attempt to bounce back into the global community, following outrage against their records of human rights violations. The oil-rich kingdom pushed a liberalisation drive and it's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman became the beacon for 'reformers' in the country. However, he faced firm criticism over the crackdown on dissent and the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in October 2018.

Taking the presidency from Japan, Saudi Arabia will host the world leaders for a global summit in Riyadh next year November 21 and 22. "The kingdom of Saudi Arabia assumes the G20 Presidency today, leading up to the summit in Riyadh" in 2020, the official Saudi Press Agency said.

"The Saudi G20 presidency is committed to continuing the work from Osaka and promoting multilateral consensus." Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom's de facto ruler, hailed it as a "unique opportunity" to shape international consensus, SPA added.

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Saudi Arabia will host more than 100 events and conferences in the run-up to the summit, including ministerial meetings, the agency said. "When Saudi Arabia assumes the G20 presidency, it will become the first (Arab) nation to lead this intergovernmental body," Dennis Snower, president of the think-tank Global Solutions Initiative, said in a statement.

"This presidency... will be challenged by a central paradox: global risks like climate change, demographic developments, such as low birth rates, rising life expectancy, and aging societies... but rising populism and nationalism are preventing progress at the multilateral level."

Saudi Arabia's crackdown on dissent 

Human Rights groups have urged G20 member nations to exert pressure on the Kingdom over its intensifying crackdown on dissent by locking down several women activists, journalists, and political dissidents. Despite the global backlash, it was reported that Saudi Arabia has detained nine academics, writers and activists in their last series of crackdowns.  Activists say that some were subsequently released, but the detention of liberals -- in the midst of the much-hyped liberalisation drive -- underscores what observers call increasing repression and authoritarianism.

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"Saudi Arabia steps up to the G20 presidency amid a new wave of arbitrary arrests of peaceful critics, with many human rights defenders still languishing behind bars, and just over a year since the horrifying killing of Jamal Khashoggi," Heba Morayef, Amnesty International's director for the Middle East and North Africa, said in a statement.

"World leaders in the G20 must pressure Prince Mohammed to ensure the enjoyment of all human rights including freedoms of expression, association, and peaceful assembly."  After remaining silent for almost a year, Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, said that he bears the responsibility for the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, considering it happened 'under his watch,' as per a PBC documentary. 

(With PTI inputs)

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