On November 29 theHuman Rights Observatory wrote to Stefano Domenicali, Jean Todt and Chase Carey to have a meeting to discuss the issue of respect for human rights in Saudi Arabia. “The Saudi government is doing everything to bury its glaring human rights violations under public spectacles and sporting events “, warned Michael Page, the organization’s deputy director for the Middle East, adding: “Unless they express concern about the serious abuses perpetrated in Saudi Arabia, Formula 1 and the artists who will perform in the side shows, risk strengthening Saudi sportwashing, an activity well-funded by the government to clean up its own image, despite a significant increased repression in recent years “.
It is no mystery that the topic became very topical recently, when the kingdom led by Mohammed bin Salman since 2017 arrested dozens of political dissidents, human rights activists and women. International reports speak of torture for detainees in prison and punishment for the families of those arrested. In particular, the case relating to the journalist Jamal Khashoggi, killed by the local police in 2018, turned the spotlight on the issue, and for Michael Page: “No international artist or sports organization can claim to be unaware of what is happening. The real question is whether F1 will allow the government to be used to clean up its image “.
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