Mark O'Doherty

Healing Saudi Arabia - Improving Peace, Prosperity and Human Rights in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Mark O'Doherty

The International Community should be advised that the government of Saudi Arabia is currently in dispute. With Saudi Arabia being a totalitarian absolute monarchy, Saudi Arabia must finally implement democracy and basic human rights; such as Freedom of Expression, Association, and Belief. Human rights violations include the failure to provide full accountability for the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents in October 2018, as well as the country's dismal treatment and torture of Saudi dissidents and human rights activists. It should also be noted that the country's de facto ruler, Prince Mohammad bin Salman, is responsible for these blatant human rights violations, and therefore should be removed from power. Hence the International Community is advised to keep a safe distance from Saudi Arabia until the Saudi Arabian government has agreed to evolve and improve itself - by releasing people imprisoned unjustly in Saudi Arabia, and making the transition into a democratic constitutional monarchy. In the meantime, domestic policy, foreign policy and human rights issues concerning Saudi Arabia will be handled by the NGO BTB-Global Peacebuilding. It should also be noted, that feminist activists and human rights defenders in Saudi Arabia are increasingly subjected to torture and degrading treatment in detention - Prince Mohammad bin Salman being guilty of blatant human rights violations, and hence a disgrace to the International Community. Also, King Salman - Saudi Arabia's true ruler - is reported to be suffering from Alzheimer's disease; Prince Mohammad bin Salman having maliciously exploited the King's ill health to usurp the throne in Saudi Arabia, and increasingly cracking down on criticism - even that of his own family. Recent detentions of senior royals in Saudi Arabia corroborate this - Prince Faisal bin Abdullah al-Saud, a son of the late King Abdullah, was detained incommunicado in early May 2020. In March, Prince Mohammad bin Salman detained three princes including Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz, the younger brother of King Salman, as well as Mohammed bin Nayef, the former crown prince whom Prince Mohammad bin Salman succeeded in 2017. Hence the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ought to make the transition into a democratic constitutional monarchy; so that rule-of-law, basic human rights and civil liberties can finally be manifested in Saudi Arabia.