Liz Truss, the international trade secretary last week admitted that the UK had breached a court order banning the sale of weapons to Saudi Arabia for a third time.
In June, a landmark court verdict found that arms sales to Saudi Arabia would be in violation of international law if they could be used in the conflict in Yemen.
She also acknowledged that ‘it is possible more cases will come to light’.
Responding to this admission, Green Party MEP, Catherine Rowett, said:
“The fact that the government has now breached the court order banning the sale of arms to Saudi Arabia at least three times shows how little regard it has for the rule of law at home and human rights abroad.
“Three months ago, in June, ministers agreed to stop exports of weapons to Saudi Arabia that could be used in the war in Yemen and yet, despite that commitment, the government continued to supply arms or parts to the Saudi regime.
“Even among all the incompetence and fiascos of the current government, this failure is egregious. Liz Truss must bear part of the blame for the continued humanitarian disaster that is being inflicted on the people of Yemen by Saudi Arabia.”
Responding to this admission, Green Party MEP, Catherine Rowett, said:
“The fact that the government has now breached the court order banning sales of arms to Saudi Arabia at least three times shows how little regard the government has for the rule of law at home and human rights abroad.
“Three months ago, in June, ministers agreed to stop exports to Saudi Arabia of weapons that could be used in the war in Yemen and yet, despite that commitment, the government continued to supply arms or parts to the Saudi government.
“Even among all the incompetence and fiascos of the current government, this failure is egregious. Liz Truss must bear part of the blame for the continued humanitarian disaster that is being inflicted on Yemen by Saudi Arabia.”
Earlier this month, Catherine Rowett and several other Green Party MEPs protested outside the DSEI – the world’s largest arms fair – in London to highlight the appalling damage such weapons do in conflicts such as Yemen.