Lee Min-hyung joined The Korea Times in 2014 and has worked as a journalist mainly in Korea’s finance, tech and automotive industry. He specializes in content creation, breaking news and in-depth analysis currently on transportation and mobility. You can reach him via mhlee@koreatimes.co.kr.
Human rights groups urge BIE members to vote against Saudi Arabia for World Expo 2030
Seen above is a screenshot from the homepage of the Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN). A group of 15 human rights organizations sent a letter to member countries of the World Expo organizing body, urging them to vote against Saudi Arabia's bid to host the upcoming Expo in 2030. Screenshot from DAWN's website
By Lee Min-hyung
A group of 15 human rights organizations are urging member states of the World Expo supervising body to vote against Saudi Arabia in the country’s ongoing bid to host the upcoming fair in 2030, citing its human rights abuses and violations of freedom of speech.
The organizations, which include Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN), sent letters to the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) member states, Tuesday, about a week ahead of the election to decide the host city for the upcoming event. The other human rights groups also include Freedom House, the European Saudi Organization for Human Rights and the Human Rights Foundation.
“Saudi authorities routinely commit human rights abuses such as arbitrary detention, target women’s rights activities and human rights defenders, and violate the rights to due process, fair trial and freedom of expression,” they said in the open letter sent to BIE member countries. “Saudi Arabia has one of the highest execution rates in the world, with at least 1,243 executions recorded between 2010 and 2021.”
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman arrives at an official reception in Paris, France, June 19, for Riyadh's candidacy to host the World Expo 2030. Reuters-Yonhap
This is not the first time that Saudi Arabia has been mired in controversy surrounding what many critics consider a move to “sportswash” its image by hosting diverse global events. The country will also host the 2034 World Cup.
Foreign media outlets have also stepped up criticisms of the country due to its notorious human rights abuses. It executed 81 people in just one day in March 2022, according to Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Interior.
Saudi authorities have also been catching flak for blocking freedom of expression in the country. It issued its first-ever death sentence regarding the peaceful social media activity of a retired 54-year-old teacher, Mohammed al-Ghamdi, according to the letter.
“More recently, Sarah al-Jaar was sentenced to a staggering 27 years in prison for innocuous posts on social media,” the human rights groups said. “In fact, Saudi courts routinely sentence individuals exercising their right to freedom of expression.”
The World Expo is defined as global events dedicated to finding solutions to fundamental challenges facing humanity, according to the BIE.
“In this context, we strongly believe Saudi Arabia’s systematic practice of human rights violations does not align with the BIE and World Expo’s values,” it said. “It is crucial to consider the potential long-term consequences on the global stage, as the normalization of such regimes can undermine the values that events like the World Expo aim to champion.”
The BIE counts 182 member states around the globe. Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh is competing with South Korea’s southeastern port city of Busan and Italy’s Rome to be selected as the host city for the World Expo 2030. A total of 179 member countries will vote for the host city on Nov. 28 during the upcoming 173rd General Assembly of the BIE. For now, Busan and Riyadh are considered the two strongest candidates.