We use cookies on this website. By continuing to use this site without changing your cookie settings, you agree that you are happy to accept our privacy policy and for us to access our cookies on your device.
Transcript/Script((PLAYBOOK SLUG: PRESS FREEDOM-US MIDEAST
HEADLINE: Biden’s Middle East Trip Gets Mixed Reviews on Human Rights
TEASER: President Joe Biden sought to strengthen regional stability in the Middle East, but some human rights and press freedom activists are critical of his visit
PUBLISHED AT: 7/22/2022 at 612p
BYLINE: Cindy Saine
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE:
VIDEOGRAPHER:
PRODUCER:
SCRIPT EDITORS: Jepsen, Bowman
VIDEO SOURCE (S): Saine Skype Video interviews, AFP, AP, Reuters
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _x_ RADIO __
TRT: 2:55
VID APPROVED BY: Jepsen
TYPE:
EDITOR NOTES: ))
((INTRO: ))
[[A viral photo of President Joe Biden's fist bump with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whom the U.S. intelligence community says is behind the 2018 murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, has generated a storm of criticism for Biden and his foreign policy. The White House says Biden brought up Khashoggi's murder with the crown prince but press freedom and human rights advocates say their fist bump gave bin Salman the perceived legitimacy that he wanted. VOA's Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports.]]
((NARRATOR))
Observers were closely watching President Joe Biden’s first visit to the Middle East to see how he dealt with the killings of two prominent journalists.
Palestinian American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was killed during an Israeli raid in the West Bank on May 11. Her family had asked to meet with Biden in Jerusalem but has been invited to meet with top U.S. officials in Washington instead.
The State Department says Israeli gunfire is likely responsible for her death but could not say if the shooting was intentional. Some human rights experts say the U.S. needs to do more.
[[Radio Intro: Sarah Yager is the Washington director of Human Rights Watch.]]
((Sarah Yager, Human Rights Watch)) ((Mandatory Skype Video Courtesy))
“… Yes, the Israelis have done their investigation. Yes, the Palestinians have done their investigation. But Shireen was a U.S. citizen. The FBI should be doing its own investigation, leave politics at the door. This is an American citizen, and she deserves to have an investigation done that is independent.”
((NARRATOR))
((MANDATORY COURTESY: TWITTER@SAUDI ROYAL PALACE))
But most of the criticism of the president’s trip has focused on a fist bump seen around the world, quickly shared by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on social media,
((end mandatory courtesy))
as Biden greeted Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah on July 15th.
[[Radio Intro: Brian Katulis is vice president of policy at the Middle East Institute in Washington. ]]
((Brian Katulis, Middle East Institute)) ((Mandatory Skype Video Courtesy))
“… Just the image, after the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, the Saudi journalist that the CIA says that MBS [as the Saudi crown prince is known] had sanctioned the murder, there's just a lot of understandable hurt feelings and an outcry there.”
((NARRATOR))
Bin Salman denies he is responsible for the 2018 murder of Jamal Khashoggi. Katulis said that he feels it would be better for U.S. presidents to engage directly with countries that don’t have perfect human rights records and bring up points of concern face to face.
((Brian Katulis, Middle East Institute)) ((Mandatory Skype Video Courtesy))
“I sort of don't understand the alternative argument, which is you cut ties, you isolate, you disengage and then somehow, magically that's going to read them the riot act and their human rights records will magically improve.”
((NARRATOR))
But Sarah Yager of Human Rights Watch says she believes presidential visits with dictators can do real harm.
[[Radio Intro: Sarah Yager of Human Rights Watch.]]
“President Biden's trip to the Middle East is going to empower authoritarians, and not just in the Middle East, I'm talking about Uganda, Philippines, President Modi in India, leaders who are on the verge of authoritarianism who are using repressive tactics, who are closing civil society, who are targeting journalists and imprisoning their political opponents.”
((NARRATOR))
Yager told VOA she thinks that after the visit from Biden, the Saudi crown prince will likely drop all pretext of reform, and crack down even more on women’s rights and political dissent in the kingdom.
Cindy Saine, VOA News
NewsML Media TopicsPolitics
NetworkVOA
Embargo DateJuly 22, 2022 18:15 EDT
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
