According to the AP news agency, Amnesty International has written to Premier League CEO Richard Masters and asked them to act.

The deal has been criticized because Saudi Arabia, represented by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, is accused of conducting so-called "sportswashing" - when countries use sports as a way to improve their reputation and shift focus from their unlucky human rights.

The human rights situation in Saudi Arabia is subject to widespread international criticism and ranks among the worst in the world.

- Their reputation is well deserved. They have a frightening history of, for example, repression against women and LGBT people, beheadings, and journalist assassinations, Amnesty International's campaign manager Felix Jakens told the BBC last winter.

Amnesty's head of the UK, Kate Allen, writes to Richard Masters, among others:

"The Premier League risks being exploited by those who want to use the league's status as a way to hide deeply immoral acts that violate international law."

Several countries have claimed that Mohammed bin Salman ordered the assassination of regime-critical journalist Jamal Khashoggi 2018. A UN investigation has previously concluded the same, but the Crown Prince denies the allegations.

So far, the Premier League has not commented on the possible change of ownership in Newcastle, but they have the right to refuse to take over a club if the new owner has a criminal background.

CLIP: Crown Prince denies involvement in Khashoggi murder (September 30, 2019)

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CLIP: New report: Saudi Arabia - the world's largest arms buyer (March 8, 2020)

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