The Saudi royal family's remarks appear aimed at reassuring Western leaders. Photo: Saudi Royal Court/Reuters
Saudi Arabia's crown prince admitted he was «ashamed» of his country's draconian laws as he claimed he was powerless to help a teacher sentenced to death for criticizing the leadership on social media.
Mohammed bin Salman confessed when asked about the case of Mohammed al-Ghamdi, a retired teacher who was given a death sentence for tweeting to his tiny audience of 10 accounts.
“Shameful but true” . . I don’t like it,” the crown prince said when asked by a Fox News journalist about the case during a television interview.
When asked why he could not change Saudi Arabia's ultra-conservative laws, he replied: “We are doing everything we can… we have already changed dozens of laws in Saudi Arabia, and the list is over 1,000 items. They only have 150 lawyers in their office, so I'm trying to prioritize changes day by day.»
The Crown Prince added: “But we are not happy with this. We are ashamed of this. But [under] the jury system, you have to follow the laws, and I can't tell a judge to do that and ignore the law because… that's against the rule of law. But do we have bad laws? Yes. Yes, we are changing that.»
Saudi Arabia has stepped up its crackdown on critics on social media, handing down long prison sentences for criticizing the Kingdom online.
The West shunned the crown prince after the brutal murder of Jamal Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist. Photo: Saudi Press Agency/Reuters
Among those facing severe punishment is Salma al-Shehab, a Saudi mother and Leeds University student sentenced to 34 years in prison for critical messages she posted on Twitter.
Experts familiar with the matter the crown prince's leadership strategy, his Fox News interview is said to have sent a clear signal that he wants to radically reform the legal system as part of his Vision 2030 program, but that it will take time.
«He says the country has an outdated legal system that he is working to reform, but it is taking a long time, and he acknowledges that there are some wrongful convictions that he expects will be overturned on appeal,» he said. Ali Shihabi, Saudi analyst. which supports the crown prince's strategy.
The Saudi royal's remarks also appeared aimed at reassuring Western leaders who are gradually welcoming him back into the fold five years after the brutal murder of Jamal Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist.
Khashoggi, critic The crown prince was killed and dismembered at the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul in 2018. The crown prince is accused of personally ordering the murder, although he vehemently denies this.
Khashoggi's death led most Western leaders to shun the crown prince, but relations have now warmed as he is increasingly seen as a crucial partner in Middle East.
The Crown Prince is due to visit London in October to meet Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
Sir John Jenkins, the former British ambassador to Saudi Arabia, told The Telegraph he thought the Crown Prince was making a real attempt to reform the judicial system.
Mohammed bin Salman was questioned by a Fox News journalist during a television interview Photo: Saudi Press Agency/Reuters
“They have long said that this has nothing to do with the government, that judges are independent and that some may well have been overly enthusiastic. Although nothing has happened [in terms of significant reform] yet,” he said.
“It is a very slow system, dependent on the decisions of individual judges because of the way the Sharia system works.
“For Vision 2030, he knows he needs a legal system, not just on the commercial side but also on the criminal side, that is more predictable than the system they have — otherwise he will have problems attracting high-powered tourists and investors. and live and work in Saudi Arabia.”
Vision 2030 is a sweeping program of infrastructure and domestic reforms that aims to transform the Gulf state by weaning it away from oil dependence and making it more attractive to foreigners.
It is possible that the crown prince's father, King Salman, could resolve the scandal surrounding Mr al-Ghamdi's death sentence by pardoning him, Sir John added.
In the same interview, the crown prince hinted that Saudi judges may show leniency in al-Ghamdi's case in the near future, but he himself has been unable to intervene.
«Well, I believe there are several steps and trials,» he said.
“I hope that [at] the next stage of trials the judges will be more experienced and they will be able to look at this in a completely different way.”
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