• Coalition government licensed £3.8 billion of arms to Saudis
  • UK aircraft are being used in the destruction of Yemen
  • Increase in executions and treatment of Raif Badawi draw international condemnation

With the death toll in Yemen passing 2000, and with the punishment of blogger Raid Badawi being upheld, Campaign Against Arms Trade has reiterated its call for the UK to end arms sales to Saudi Arabia.

Badawi has been sentenced to ten years in prison and 1000 lashes for blogging. Unfortunately this is only the latest reminder of the Saudi regime’s brutality. Last March saw the introduction of a new ‘terrorism’ law that treats all atheists and political dissidents as enemies of the state, and this year has seen the doubling of executions.

Andrew Smith of Campaign Against Arms Trade said: “The human rights situation in Saudi Arabia is dire. The fact that it is also the world’s largest buyer of UK weapons is a sign of the real hypocrisy at the heart of UK foreign policy. What right does the UK have to talk about human rights and democracy when it’s ministers are directly promoting arms sales to a regime that tortures bloggers?

During its first four years the Coalition government continued the UK’s long standing policy by licensing £3.8 billion worth of arms to the regime. This included licences for combat aircraft, components for bombs, weapon sights and tear gas. There is no suggestion that this will change under the current government.

The UK government has not just authorised these sales, it has also promoted them. Ministers have enjoyed a politically intimate relationship with the Saudi rulers, and even UK Royals have been co-opted into promoting arms sales. This was evident last year when Prince Charles used a visit to Saudi Arabia to promote Eurofighter sales for BAE Systems.

Andrew continued: “The government is working hand in glove with arms companies like BAE Systems that are profiting from the oppression taking place. With the intensification of the crackdown on dissent, and with the humanitarian catastrophe being unleashed on Yemen, we have to ask, what would it take for the UK to finally stop selling arms to this terrible regime?”

The humanitarian situation in Yemen is only getting worse. Like in all wars it is civilians that are on the receiving end, with the World Health Organisation stressing that 8.6 million are in ‘urgent need of medical aid‘.