"The Dakar must not be a platform offered to Saudi Arabia" to make people forget human rights: the International Federation of Human Rights Leagues (FIDH) called Friday ASO, the organizing company of the rally, and France Televisions, two days before the start of the competition in the Saudi desert.
"We appeal to the values of commitment and responsibility of the company ASO to ensure that human rights are taken into account and that the disastrous situation in the country is not an anecdote on the sidelines of the Rally," said FIDH, in a letter to company executives.
The surprising regulations for the Dakar 2020 in Saudi Arabia via @ 20minutesSport https://t.co/kvoIQclIEr
- 20 Minutes Sport (@ 20minutesSport) December 9, 2019Saudi Arabia is widely criticized by human rights defenders, who point out among other things its controversial military intervention in Yemen, the condition of women in the country and its policy towards opponents, in particular since the murder of the journalist critic Jamal Khashoggi.
"The Amaury Sport Organization and the Dakar pilots should make their voices heard against the ill-treatment that the Saudi government inflicts on women’s rights activists," said Human Rights Watch, which relayed the call with 13 other international organizations.
"Do not be blinded by the sports spectacle"
"The supporters, the media and the competing teams should not be blinded by the sports spectacle, through which the kingdom of Saudi Arabia tries to whitewash its image while it imprisons pacifist activists", adds the association .
The FIDH sent a similar letter to the management of France Télévisions, broadcaster of the competition to be held from January 5 to 17, for the first time in the ultra-conservative kingdom which seeks, with sport and tourism, to diversify its economy today almost exclusively dependent on petroleum.
"We appeal to the public service mission of France Televisions and ask you to ensure that the dissemination of the Dakar is not a platform offered to the Saudi regime to improve its image and make people forget its crimes", claim the associations.
⚠️From 5 to 17/01, Saudi Arabia will host the # Dakar2020.
1200 Behind 1,200 hours of footage, most of it produced by @Francetele, broadcast on 70 television channels in 190 countries is hidden a disastrous human rights record. #StandWithSaudiHeroes pic.twitter.com/qOR4GutlhK
Denouncing a "sexual apartheid" in the country via the "subjugation" of women "to male guardianship" and the "systematic repression of any form of opposition", the associations highlight that the "realities of Saudi Arabia are sadly far from the spirit of freedom that ASO seeks to promote "and the" vocation "of public service television to promote" respect for human rights, pluralism and democratic debate ".
FIDH and its member organizations issue an "urgent appeal" to Dakar organizers, participants and fans to "urge the Saudi authorities to drop all charges against the Saudi human rights defenders and immediately release the detained persons ". For this, they ask the Dakar pilots to "give voice" and "contribute to awareness and solidarity" by wearing a pink armband #FreeSaudiHeroes during the competition.
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"In defiance of the most basic respect for human rights", the deputy Juanico criticizes the Dakar in Saudi Arabia
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