Tomorrow, July 15th, United States President Joe Biden is scheduled to meet with Saudi dictator Mohammed bin Salman (MBS). In a letter last month, the Human Rights Foundation (HRF) called on President Biden to cancel his visit to Saudi Arabia, signaling his priority for human rights over any perceived short-term financial or political gains. HRF has not received a response from the Biden administration.
HRF also joined 12 other organizations in signing a joint letter, urging President Biden to “secure genuine progress on human rights before acting in a manner that would bolster the status of the crown prince and his government, which routinely and callously abuses the rights of its own citizens.”
HRF continues to seek justice for the thousands of dissidents who have fallen victim to Saudi Arabia’s dictatorship — including Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi. On June 15th, in light of President Biden’s upcoming visit, HRF hosted a screening of “THE DISSIDENT,” a 2020 documentary that follows the brutal murder of Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey.
Most recently, HRF Senior Fellow Bethany AlHaidari published a powerful op-ed, detailing her horrific experience trapped within Saudi Arabia’s repressive kafala laws. AlHaidari again calls on President Biden to “prioritize human rights ahead of this meeting.” Read the full op-ed below.