Local Editor
The Saudi ambassador to the Human Rights Council, Faisal Trad, said Thursday that his country rejects "accusations" from two top human rights groups, who have called for Saudi Arabia’s suspension from the U.N.-backed body over its military campaign in Yemen.
Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International on Wednesday called for Saudi Arabia’s suspension from the Geneva-based body until Saudi forces halt indiscriminate airstrikes in Yemen that have killed over 900 civilians.
The rights groups argued that if Saudi Arabia is found guilty of war crimes, the U.S. could be complicit because it provides airstrike targeting information for the Saudi-led coalition. The State Department would not comment Wednesday on allegations of possible U.S. complicity in war crimes or whether Saudi Arabia should be suspended from the council.
Under U.N. rules, a two-thirds majority of the General Assembly in New York would be needed to suspend the rights of any Human Rights Council member - a virtually impossible outcome in the case of Saudi Arabia, considering its political and economic clout.
Source: News Agencies, Edited by Website Team
