In a rare and controversial move, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman personally lobbied former UK Prime Minister David Cameron earlier this year, urging intervention in the legal case of London-based dissident Ghanem Al-Masarir, who is suing the Saudi government. The case centers around allegations that Saudi Arabia ordered the hacking of Al-Masarir's phone and that he was physically assaulted by Saudi agents in London in 2018.
Documents obtained by The Guardian reveal that Prince Mohammed raised the matter with Cameron during a World Economic Forum meeting in Riyadh in April. This intervention came after earlier pressure from senior Saudi ministers, who warned that the case could jeopardize more than £100 billion of Saudi investment in the UK. The UK government documents, released through a freedom of information request, indicate that British officials were tasked with exploring options in response to the Saudi lobbying.
Al-Masarir, a prominent critic of the Saudi royal family, is living under asylum protection in the UK. His legal battle against the Saudi government involves claims that his phone was targeted and hacked by a network likely linked to Saudi Arabia, a situation confirmed by experts at The Citizen Lab, a leading research group on digital surveillance. In his statement, Al-Masarir condemned the crown prince's efforts to manipulate the UK government, calling it "shocking and unacceptable" and accusing him of attempting to undermine the UK's judicial independence.
British officials noted that the 2022 High Court ruling, which allowed the case to proceed despite Saudi Arabia’s claim of state immunity, was based on a “novel legal opinion.” The ruling, which allows the case to move forward, set the stage for further legal battles, especially given the sensitivity surrounding the principle of sovereign immunity.
The case has drawn attention not only because of the alleged acts of transnational repression but also due to its potential impact on state assets and the broader debate on sovereign immunity. Saudi officials have expressed concern that a ruling in Al-Masarir's favor could set a precedent that challenges the immunity of state leaders and could have far-reaching implications, especially in light of international debates over the use of seized Russian assets to support Ukraine.
This revelation adds to a growing pattern of the crown prince attempting to leverage legal protections to avoid accountability for actions attributed to the Saudi government. Notably, in 2022, a US judge dismissed a lawsuit against the crown prince regarding the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, citing sovereign immunity despite credible allegations linking him to the murder.
As the case continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how the UK government will respond to the mounting pressure from Saudi officials. The situation raises complex questions about the intersection of international diplomacy, human rights, and legal accountability for powerful leaders.
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