Call on Canada to urge Saudi Arabia to release all human rights defenders ahead of the G20 Summit | View in browser.

Loujain al-Hathloul, Iman al-Nafjan, Aziza al-Youssef, Samar Badawi and Nassima al-Sada
are women human rights defenders who are in prison or facing charges for their work in Saudi Arabia

Dear John,

This November, Saudi Arabia wants to shine on the international stage as they host the G20 Leaders’ Summit, which will bring together the richest, most powerful countries in the world—including Canada—to discuss global issues.

Hosting the Summit is part of Saudi Arabia’s public relations campaign to bolster its image. But behind the glamour is a brutal government campaign of repression, intolerance and human rights violations.

Canada and other G20 countries have an opportunity to leverage their power and let Saudi Arabia know that they cannot shine on the international stage until they respect human rights.

Will you call on Canada to urge Saudi Arabia to release all detained human rights defenders ahead of the G20 Leaders’ Summit?

Under the leadership of Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman, human rights defenders, women’s rights activists, artists, religious clerics, and bloggers have been persecuted, silenced, detained, tortured, and handed lengthy prison sentences—even death sentences—for demanding reforms and advocating for peaceful change.

Many of the most prominent activists—from blogger Raif Badawi, to women’s rights activists Samara Badawi, Loujain al-Hathloul, and Nassima al-Sada—are in jail because of their peaceful activism.

The state-ordered murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Turkey in 2018 is but one chilling example of how far the Saudi authorities are willing to go to muzzle critical voices.

The brutal wave of repression in the Kingdom must stop. Between now and the G20 Leaders’ Summit, taking place from November 21-22, Amnesty International is calling on G20 countries to take action in support of human rights and human rights defenders in Saudi Arabia.

Join us in calling on Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs François-Philippe Champagne to press Saudi authorities to release jailed Saudi activists and implement meaningful human rights reforms in the lead-up to the Summit.

Thank you for urging Canada to act now in support of courageous activists in Saudi Arabia who are risking everything to defend the rights of all.

Yours in solidarity,

Jackie

Jackie Hansen
Gender Rights Campaigner
Amnesty International Canada

P.S. Failure to raise critical human rights issues with Saudi Arabia at the G20 Leaders’ Summit will legitimize the regime’s atrocious human rights record. Please call on Canada to urge the Saudi authorities to release all detained human rights defenders ahead of the Summit.

Amnesty International firmly opposes all forms of Islamophobia and condemns any and all acts of white supremacist racism and violence against Muslim communities.