Forty-five U.S. lawmakers in a letter issued Wednesday urged the U.S. government to boycott the G20 summit next month in Riyadh unless Saudi officials address key human rights concerns.
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The letter from members of the US Congress to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo comes after 65 MEPs called on the European Union to review its participation in the virtual summit hosted by Saudi Arabia on November 21 and 22, accusing the kingdom to violate human rights.
Neither Riyadh nor the US administration reacted immediately
"
As a world leader in democracy and promoter of human rights, our government should demand dramatic changes to Saudi Arabia's dismal record of violations
" of these rights, reads the letter.
"
If the Saudi government does not immediately take action to address this record, we should withdraw from the G20 summit and commit to making human rights reforms a condition of all future transactions with the Saudi government
," he added. text.
Neither Riyadh nor the American administration reacted immediately to the call of these American deputies.
The administration of US President Donald Trump is a key ally of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who de facto rules Saudi Arabia.
Riyadh on Wednesday began a two-day virtual conference ahead of the summit to promote women's rights and gender equality.
An initiative criticized by human rights associations which point to the detention in Arabia of several Saudi activists, including Loujain al-Hathloul.
“
While courageous women are subjected to torture for peaceful activities, the Saudi government seeks to assert itself on the international scene as a reforming power
,” lamented the organization Human Rights Watch.
Saudi Arabia, the first Arab country to host the G20, has stepped up the repression of dissenting voices since Mohammed bin Salman's accession to the status of crown prince in 2017.
