Saudi Arabia: British High Court green lights arms sales to Saudi Arabia

"Putting Dracula in charge of the blood bank"

London's High Court ruled on Monday that the British government's arms sales to Saudi Arabia were lawful and could continue.

Human rights activists are outraged by the ruling and plan to appeal Britain's highest court. The judges ruled there was insufficient evidence of a "clear risk" of the weapons being used for "serious" rights breaches.

The case revolved around a part of the UK's Export Control Act, which states that the British government "will not grant a licence if there is a clear risk that the items might be used in the commission of a serious violation of International Humanitarian Law."

The Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) - a group of NGOs including Oxfam, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch - brought the case to the court, arguing that exports to Saudi Arabia currently breached this condition, given the likelihood of the weapons being used in the Saudi campaign in Yemen.

The plaintiffs slammed the court's ruling, saying they would appeal to the UK's Supreme Court. Oxfam said the decision "sets back arms control 25 years."

Note EU-Digest: Scandalous and inhumane  decision by the British High Court and a victory for the British weapons industry. Unfortunately this decision will eventually  come and haunt the British population as a whole in the form of terrorism sponsored by the same nation Britain sold their weapons to.
 
Read more: British High Court green lights arms sales to Saudi Arabia | News | DW | 10.07.2017