Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Lebanese Ministry of Health: One person was killed in an Israeli airstrike on a car in the town of Burj Qalawieh, south Lebanon.
Al Mayadeen correspondent: The first ship of the Maghreb fleet delivering aid to break the siege on Gaza departs from the port of Gammarth in Tunisia.
Channel 12: Airspace closed at Ramon Airport due to fears of drone infiltration
IOF Spokesperson: Sirens sounded over an aircraft infiltration in the Bir Ora area, and details are being examined
Drone infiltration sirens sound north of the Gulf of Aqaba
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: The Israeli occupation carried out five extremely violent raids on the western areas of Gaza City
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: The Israeli occupation carried out major bombings in the Gaza Strip, the most violent since October 7
Yemeni Armed Forces spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree: The missile force carried out a major operation using the Palestine 2 ballistic hypersonic missile, hitting several targets in occupied Yafa.
Sirens sound in large areas of occupied Palestine after a missile launch from Yemen was detected
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: 14 martyrs arrive at al-Shifa Hospital following Israeli massacre of al-Sultan Family north of Gaza.

London High Court examines legality of UK resuming Saudi arms sales

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 31 Jan 2023 20:06
  • 7 Shares
4 Min Read

An NGO tells a UK court that the government should have identified the Saudi coalition's aggression on Yemen as a violation of international law.

  • x
  • UK Saudi Arabia
    Demonstrators raising a banner that says "Stop arming Saudi Arabia" (CAAT)

London's High Court on Tuesday examined the legality of the UK government's decision to renew sales of arms to Saudi Arabia that could be used in the war on Yemen.

The case has been brought by the UK-based NGO, Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT), which accuses the government of contributing to breaches of international law and the world's largest humanitarian disaster in Yemen, which has claimed tens of thousands of lives.

The judicial review is expected to last until the end of the week.

Demonstrators stood outside the court Tuesday morning and hung a banner on the gates saying: "Stop arming Saudi Arabia" and "Solidarity with Yemen."

Ben Jaffey, CAAT's lawyer, told the court that the UK government should have identified the Saudi coalition's repeated bombings of civilians and other non-military targets as violations of international law, breaching rules on arms sales.

The NGO launched the legal challenge after Britain announced in the summer of 2020 that it was resuming arms sales to Saudi Arabia, claiming that there was no clear risk that weapons would be used in a serious violation of international humanitarian law. 

Over 25,000 airstrikes, mostly by #SaudiArabia and made possible by the UK's Royal Air Force, have resulted in the death of almost 9,000 civilians.#Yemen #YemenCantWait pic.twitter.com/vjiutMxB5h

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) January 11, 2023

The UK government acknowledged there had been "small breaches", but called these "isolated cases", Jaffey said, describing this as "absurd".

He detailed numerous Saudi bombings aimed at civilians, including a bombing that targeted a Doctors without Borders (MSF) hospital and killed about 10 people in 2016.

A single violation is enough for arms sales to come under question, Jaffey considered.

Related News

US, China to resume talks in Madrid; tariffs, TikTok on agenda

China warns Philippines against provocations in South China Sea

Read more: Report shows scale of destruction by UK-armed strikes in Yemen

UK government cares "more about profit than war crimes"

Ahead of the hearing, CAAT media coordinator Emily Apple accused the UK government of caring "more about profit than war crimes and the deaths of civilians."

"These arms sales are unlawful and they should be stopped," she told AFP.

The NGO initially won its case against the government in 2019, when the Court of Appeal ruled that the UK's licensing of arms sales was unlawful and that the 

It also said the government had failed to assess properly whether the arms sales violated its commitments to human rights and ordered it to "reconsider the matter."

It is noteworthy that while serving as International Trade Minister, Liz Truss conducted a review and announced in 2020 that export licenses would restart, claiming that Riyadh "has a genuine intent and the capacity to comply with IHL (international humanitarian law)", despite "isolated incidents".

UK one of leading suppliers of arms to Saudi Arabia

CAAT said the UK government has licensed sales to Riyadh of weaponry including combat aircraft, guided bombs, and missiles, with a published value since 2015 of £7.9 billion ($9.8 billion).

It said the UK is one of the leading suppliers of arms to Saudi Arabia, along with the United States.

  • UK has reportedly sold at least £7.9 billion in arms to Saudi Arabia
    The UK has reportedly sold at least £7.9 billion in arms to Saudi Arabia.

Martin Butcher, peace and conflict advisor at the charity Oxfam, highlighted that Saudi airstrikes "are responsible for a larger proportion of the attacks" on civilians in Yemen.

"It's essential that the legality of UK arms sales is examined and arms sales must be immediately stopped," Butcher stressed.

Human Rights Watch researcher Niku Jafarnia said in a statement Tuesday that "violations are not simply 'isolated incidents' as the government claims," pointing out that "UK weapons have been used in some of these violations with total impunity."

Read more: UK protecting mercenary government, aggression: Sanaa

  • United States
  • Riyadh
  • Yemen
  • UK
  • Saudi Arabia

Most Read

The damaged building in the Katara neighborhood, Doha, Qatar, September 9, 2025 (Social media)

Hamas delegation survives Israeli assassination attempt in Qatar

  • Politics
  • 9 Sep 2025
Israeli police and rescue teams respond at the scene of a shooting attack where several people killed and injured in Jerusalem, Monday, Sept. 8, 2025 (AP)

Al-Quds shooting: 7 settlers killed, several critically injured

  • Politics
  • 8 Sep 2025
Pro-"Israel" conservative Charlie Kirk shot during Utah speech

Pro-'Israel' far-right Charlie Kirk shot dead during Utah speech

  • US & Canada
  • 11 Sep 2025
Uprising against Volker Turk at the Human Rights Council over Gaza.

Uprising against Volker Turk at the Human Rights Council over Gaza

  • Politics
  • 12 Sep 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
People protest against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly, in New York, on Friday, September 27, 2024 (AP)
Politics

'Israel' stops unfunded diplomacy ahead of UN, October 7 memorial

An Israeli Air Force fighter jet releases flares over the Gaza Strip, is seen from southern occupied Palestine, Thursday, May 8, 2025 (AP)
Politics

OIC summit draft: Israeli attack on Qatar risks normalization

People shout slogans and hold Palestinian flags while protesting during the twenty-first stage of La Vuelta cycling race from Alalpardo to Madrid, Spain, Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025. (AP)
Sports

Pro-Palestine protests force abrupt end to Vuelta a España finale

Damage is seen after an Israeli strike targeted a compound that hosted Hamas' political leadership in Doha, Qatar, on Wednesday, September 10, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Israeli regime faces growing isolation over Qatar strike: Reports

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS