Center for Democracy and Human Rights in Saudi Arabia, CDHR, Washington DC

December 3, 2018

CDHR’s Analysis and Commentaries

Saudi Arabia is a Country in Turmoil

The Future of Prince Mohammed

CDHR Analysis: MBS is in a place where everyone wants to be, wounded, but not disabled. The U.S. Administration, Britain and France (the big arms merchants) want him to stay in place, but with clipped wings. This way, he can be useful to them, business-wise, but will not have a free hand to continue his destabilizing adventurism internally or externally. The U.S., the UK and other western powers emboldened Prince Mohammed to behave imprudently; now they seem to be realizing that their premature judgments and dreams have boomeranged. Prince Mohammed’s economic reforms have either been put on hold or terminated. His domestic and foreign policies have proved disastrous for him, his autocratic family, and, more importantly, for the severely disenfranchised population. Despite their growing concerns about Prince Mohammed’s stagnating economic reforms, as well as his ill-advised domestic and foreign policies, western governments and potential investors continued to consider him the best hope, not only for Saudi Arabia, but for the Arab World. That is, until the gruesome disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi on October 2, 2018. Read full analysis: www.cdhr.info

Saudi Women: From Utter Suppression to Ultimate Punishment

CDHR Commentary: While the gruesome assassination of Jamal Khashoggi by a Saudi death squad has aptly occupied the international community’s attention for the last two months, repression and fear among the Saudi population, especially advocates of human rights, freedom of expression and social justice, have intensified since Khashoggi’s murder on October 2.

Recent chilling reports revealed unspeakable abuses of a group of Saudi women’s rights advocates. Aman Al-Nafjan, Lujain Al-Hathloul, Aziza al-Yousef, Aisha Al-Manaa (released) and their male lawyers and supporting rights advocates were arrested in May 2018 for promoting women’s right to drive and for trying to network with foreign human rights organizations.  

It has recently been divulged that they have been beaten, sexually harassed/raped and subjected to electric shock punishment by their masked prison tormentors. Like Khashoggi, these rights advocates are not advocating violence, social instability or overthrow of t he autocratic Saudi regime, led by Prince Mohammed, who has been declared responsible for Khashoggi’s killing. Read full analysis: www.cdhr.info

The Cost of President Trump’s Capitulation

CDHR Analysis: The Washington-based Center for Democracy and Human Rights in Saudi Arabia, CDHR, has been inundated with inquiries from many parts of the world following the gruesome murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi by a Saudi government death squad on October 2, 2018. People want to know the impact of President Trump’s defiant support for Crown Prince Mohammed on Saudi pro-freedom of expression and social justice advocates. A number of inquiries concerned the safety of Americans who live and work in Saudi Arabia specifically and in Arab and Muslim countries in general.

American and global media have extensively focused on the international community’s revulsion over the Khashoggi murder and on President Trump’s and his close advisors’ capitulation to and efforts to exonerate the Saudi government from its role in Khashoggi’s murder. However, the impact of President Trump’s support for the Saudi regime on the American people and businesses worldwide has been largely ignored. Read full analysis: www.cdhr.info

 “What a Murder by Mussolini Teaches Us About Khashoggi and M.B.S.”

CDHR Commentary: Prince Mohammed bin Salman had an unequalled opportunity to propel Saudi Arabia into a brighter, stable, participatory and prosperous future, but that was not the reason his father, King Salman, hand-picked him to inherit the Saudi throne. He was strategically selected to implement his father’s wishes: Saudi Arabia must remain a Salafi state, the property of the Saudi ruling family and religiously unchallenged regional player. These are the unstated objectives that many self-promoting western m edia commentators, lucratively compensated lobbyists and well-funded Saudi agents, like Ali Shihabi and others, never mention. Read full analysis: www.cdhr.info

Please contribute to CDHR’s efforts to continue its educational work. We address tough issues, invoke thought-provoking discourse and suggest peaceful solutions. Please go to our website www.cdhr.info and click on donate.

Or send checks to this address:  

Center for Democracy and Human Rights in Saudi Arabia, CDHR
1629 K St. NW, Suite 300
Washington, DC 20006