UK activists demand PM May to cancel Mohammed Bin Salman's visit

Activists accuse him for being responsible for war and humanitarian crisis in Yemen

United Kingdown activists want Prime Minister Theresa May to withdraw Saudi Prince Mohammed Bin Salman’s invitation to UK, reported Al Jazeera.

Groups including the Stop the War coalition, the Campaign Against Arms Trade, and the Arab Human Rights Organisation, published an open letter on Friday accusing Prince Salman of being responsible for the war and humanitarian crisis in Yemen.



"[Mohammed bin Salman] is the second most senior member of the Saudi regime, which has one of the worst human rights records in the world," the statement read.

The UK should not "lay out the red carpet" for him, said Stephen Bell, a forefront activist against the visit. "Torture, arbitrary detention, and other appalling abuses are widely documented."

"Up to 11 million Yemeni children are at risk either from the war or cholera, famine caused by the blockade of the country and the destruction of infrastructure," he said.

"All this means it's not suitable to invite someone who holds prime responsibility for the continuation of the war."

UK support

British companies are one of the biggest suppliers of weapons to Saudi Arabia. The British government has approved billions of pounds in export licenses over the past three years.



Despite repeated calls by the Rights groups the UK has yet to take any punitive measures against Saudi Arabia. However, officials say they are ensuring UK-manufactured weapons are used appropriately.

This article originally appears on Al Jazeera