Describing him as "the visionary leader as viewed by his people," Fox News senior political commentator Bret Baier opened his interview with Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman on September 20, 2023
The first television interview since 2019 comes against the backdrop of an escalating Saudi official policy to improve its image globally, despite a continuous crackdown on freedom of speech, expression, and the absence of any independent press within the country. While Saudi Arabia issues unprecedented prison sentences for women expressing their opinions, Bret Baier opened his interview by highlighting significant progress in the status of women.
The European Saudi Organization for Human Rights refutes some of the answers given regarding human rights in the interview with Mohammed bin Salman.
The killing of Jamal Khashoggi:
Five years after the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Mohammed bin Salman claimed that all necessary legal measures had been taken, as any country would do when a mistake occurs. He also alleged that efforts were made to reform the legal system to prevent such errors from happening again. Furthermore, he considered the absence of similar crimes in the past five years as proof that this is not reflective of Saudi Arabia's actions in general, and he asserted that everyone involved in the crime had been imprisoned, declaring the case closed.
These claims by Mohammed bin Salman come despite investigations confirming that the murder was carried out on his direct orders. Moreover, he stated that the case was closed while Khashoggi's body remains hidden and his fate remains unknown.
While Mohammed bin Salman suggested that what happened to Khashoggi is not representative of Saudi Arabia, the reality of journalism in the country, ranking 170 out of 180 countries in the Reporters Without Borders press freedom index, and the arrests and harassment of journalists, indicate that the crime is not isolated from the usual practices.
Death sentences:
Regarding the issuance of death sentences related to tweets, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman acknowledged that this is indeed happening, and he expressed that he does not like it and is not proud of all the laws. He mentioned that he is trying to prioritize areas for change.
Bin Salman insisted that the prison system should follow the laws, and he cannot tell judges what to do because that would go against the rule of law. When asked about the possibility of the execution of Al-Ghamdi, he wished for the new judicial phase to have more experienced judges.
Mohammed bin Salman's confirmation of issuing death sentences for tweets reveals official hypocrisy in light of repeated official statements in previous years that death sentences are only issued for the most serious crimes.
In addition, justifying death sentences based on priorities for change demonstrates a glaring disregard for the right to life, which should be a top priority in any reform effort. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman stated that "the rule of law" prevents him from interfering in the work of judges, despite the reality showing his control over all branches of the state, including the arrest, removal, and appointment of judges. Furthermore, his statements ignore the fact that death sentences are not carried out without the king's signature, indicating his direct responsibility for over 1000 executions in the past seven years. Using the principle of the rule of law and judicial independence as a justification is unrealistic.
Laws:
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman claimed that dozens of laws have been changed, but there are still 1,000 legal elements that need to be changed, and that there are only 150 lawyers in the Council of Ministers.
Bin Salman has repeatedly discussed legal reforms in recent years and made promises related to this. In April 2018, approximately a year after taking power, he promised to reduce the use of the death penalty to a minimum during an interview with Time magazine. He stated, "We have tried to reduce the punishment of execution. So we are working through the government and also the Saudi Parliament to build new laws in this area. We believe it will take a year, maybe a little bit more, to finish it. We will not reduce the death penalty by 100%, but we will reduce it significantly."
In February 2021, bin Salman announced legislative reforms that he claimed would contribute to the development of the legal environment and the stability of the regulatory framework, reducing individual discretion in issuing judgments and providing predictability. These reforms include the Personal Status Law project, the Civil Transactions Law project, the Penal Code for Retributive Penalties project, and the Evidence Law project
On March 3, 2022, bin Salman stated in an interview with The Atlantic that the death penalty is now limited to cases where one person kills another, and therefore, the victim's family has the right to go to court or pardon the offender.
However, the observed facts following these promises confirm bin Salman's use of media to promote unrealistic changes. To date, no law on penalties has been enacted, and flaws in the enforcement of the laws that have been issued persist.
Furthermore, the number of executions has continued to rise, with Saudi Arabia executing more than 100 people in 2023 alone. Additionally, 65 individuals, including 9 minors and individuals accused of expressing their opinions or participating in protests, still face the possibility of execution.
Sportswashing:
Bin Salman did not deny Saudi Arabia's practice of sports washing and stated that he does not care about what people say. He indicated that he would continue sports washing if it increases the country's GDP by 1%.
These statements regarding the use of sports emphasize that cooperation with Saudi Arabia in the field of sports cannot be separated from its efforts to improve its image. Therefore, buying sports clubs and recruiting athletes are seen within this context.
Yemen
Regarding the war in Yemen, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman stated that Saudi Arabia is the largest country providing assistance to Yemen and that they will continue this support. Saudi Arabia had announced the leadership of a coalition to wage war on Yemen in 2015, which has led to hundreds of thousands of casualties. Reports and international research have attributed responsibility to Saudi Arabia for many massacres and placed it on the blacklist for violating the rights of children in Yemen.
Right to participate:
In response to the importance of change starting from the grassroots, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman stated that if people are not convinced and do not believe, plans and projects will not succeed.
Since assuming power, Bin Salman has launched projects and plans that directly affect the population, including forcibly displacing them from their homes. While talking about convincing the people, he did not address the issuance of arbitrary death sentences and imprisonment of individuals for opposing these projects. Repression has significantly increased against anyone expressing an opinion that does not align with the government's vision. Additionally, there is a complete absence of any form of participation in decision-making, with no elections, popular referendums, or an effective role for the Shura Council.
ESOHR believes that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has used the global media in recent years to promote his vision and divert attention from human rights violations. The organization points out that his statements show a complete disregard for human rights, especially the right to life, as he explicitly stated that he does not prioritize reforming laws that permit the killing of individuals. ESOHR also considers that the deteriorating human rights situation in Saudi Arabia necessitates a clear stance to prevent the use of available means for image laundering and obscuring the facts, including global media or sports.