Saudi Arabia hosts UN internet policy talks amid free speech criticism

Saudi Arabia plays host this month to a major United Nations effort to discuss internet policy, drawing accusations of rank hypocrisy from rights activists who say the kingdom represses free speech and jails online critics.

Just this January, activists say Riyadh sentenced a Saudi woman to 11 years in prison for her choice of clothes and for using social media to attack its policy on women.

“You as a government can imprison people for their online posts, surveil everyone, and have one of the most draconian laws in the world, and still be able to host conversations about tech policy and the internet,” said Marwa Fatafta, policy and advocacy manager at the internet watchdog Access Now.

The five-day Internet Governance Forum (IGF) kicked off in Riyadh on Sunday, with 6,000 people from more than 170 countries set to discuss “policies for a safe, inclusive, and innovative digital future”, according to the U.N.

Among other topics under debate: ‘Advancing human rights and inclusion in the digital age’ – a red flag to activists who say Riyadh routinely silences dissident voices.

Fatafta blasted the choice of venue for the U.N.’s 19th annual internet summit as “a missed opportunity” that “normalises” digital repression.

Saudi Arabia was selected as host following a standard process, the U.N. organising team told Context.

“A country hosting the IGF does not equal an endorsement of any country’s policies, but an opportunity to bring the forum’s values and principles into diverse national contexts, including those where challenges exist,” the team said in a statement.

“It would represent a ‘missed opportunity’ if the meeting were not held in this part of the region for the first time,” it added.

Amnesty International said Saudi Arabia should free all citizens “who have been detained and convicted solely for exercising their right to freedom of expression online”.

It cited 29-year-old Manahel Al-Otaibi, a fitness instructor and women’s rights activist who it said was jailed in January for her choice of clothing and for her social media posts urging an end to the kingdom’s male guardianship system.

Civil society organisations attending the summit said they were told by the U.N. not to single out individual leaders or entities for criticism.

“The U.N. is really policing what civil society, what activists, etc., can say at these things,” Bissan Fakih, Amnesty’s campaigner on Saudi Arabia, told Context.

“If I want to make a point about the human rights situation deteriorating under (Crown Prince) Mohammed bin Salman, I can’t do that, okay, because it would mean singling someone out,” she said, referring to Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, known as MBS.

Concerns voiced by civil society activists “have been heard,” the U.N. organising team said, adding that “efforts have been made to ensure unimpeded access to the IGF. The platform remains open and accessible, with measures in place to uphold its inclusive ethos”.

“The forum’s Code of Conduct prohibits ad hominem attacks. This is a policy intended to maximise the space for safe, collegial exchange among stakeholders, and is in line with broader rules of engagement in other U.N. fora,” the team added.

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology did not respond to a request for comment. Reuters