Newcastle fans “can bring change” by challenging Saudi Arabia’s government over alleged human rights abuses, a prominent activist has told supporters.
Human rights campaigner Lina al-Hathloul issued a plea to Magpies fans on Tuesday evening to speak up and protest against the regime in her home country, almost two years after the club was purchased by a Saudi-backed consortium.
Ms Hathloul, whose sister Loujain is a political prisoner, told a meeting organised by NUFC Fans Against Sportswashing group at the Northern Stage theatre that fans should not “underestimate the power one word can have” and can both “be happy about Newcastle winning and criticise what is happening in Saudi”.
Newcastle United is 80% owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, and Ms Hathloul’s appearance on Tyneside came just a few days ahead of Saudi Arabia’s national team playing two matches at St James’ Park.
Anti-sportswashing campaigners have called for those games to be called off and urged North East politicians last week to speak out, following a recent Human Rights Watch report detailing allegations of Saudi border guards killing hundreds of Ethiopian migrants at the border with Yemen.
Ms Hathloul said that the Saudi takeover of Newcastle had been personal for her as the first suggestions it could happen emerged when her sister was still in prison and she feared it would lead people to “forget” her case, telling supporters and journalists present on Tuesday that her sister had been “forcibly disappeared” and tortured.
Loujain al-Hathloul, who was instrumental in the campaign to lift a ban on women driving in Saudi Arabia, was released from prison in Saudi Arabia in February 2021 after 1,001 days having been jailed under counter-terrorism laws, but continues to live under restrictions that prevent her from leaving the country.
Lina al-Hathloul said that she had tried meeting with local MPs and councillors on her visit but claims “almost all of them were worried about being seen with me” due to the political sensitivity surrounding the football club’s ownership.
The club’s 2021 takeover was approved after the Premier League was given “legally binding assurances” that the Saudi government would not have any control over the club, though Ms al-Hathloul told a room of roughly 30 football fans and journalists that this was “a lie”.
Those assurances were called into question when, earlier this year, NUFC chairman and PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan was described as “a sitting minister of the government” in a US court case involving LIV Golf.
Ms al-Hathloul urged Newcastle supporters to show solidarity with victims of alleged human rights abuses with actions such as displaying banners at matches and attending protests.
In an interview with the Local Democracy Reporting Service on Tuesday afternoon, she said: “The fans have power. Even having a banner at a football match which says ‘Free Salma’ [al-Shebab] for example, who is a PHD student at Leeds University sentenced to 27 years in prison for tweets, and taking a photo and posting it online has an impact.
“The Saudis care about their image. Fans speaking about things, tweeting about violations can have an impact. For my sister, it worked – there was so much pressure that they released her.”
The campaigner, who is the head of advocacy and monitoring at Saudi human rights group ALQST, added: “I think that we can bring change with the Newcastle fans saying they will pressure for things to get better in Saudi. Speak about Salma, speak about travel bans, speak about executions, and be public about all that. The Saudis will listen, they have to in the end.”
John Hird, from NUFC Fans Against Sportswashing, said he wanted to “push back against the normalisation of the Saudi state owning Newcastle United” and that “simply getting the names of those oppressed by the Saudi dictatorship into the public domain on Tyneside will help”.
The group is planning to stage a protest outside St James’ Park ahead of Friday’s night’s match against Costa Rica.
Mr Hird also expressed hopes on Tuesday that the Wor Flags group that organises spectacular displays inside the stadium would be willing to showcase banners reflecting human rights concerns.
He added: “If we protested against Mike Ashley, correctly, because of his mismanagement of the club and his zero hour contracts, then why can’t we protest against what the 80% owners of Newcastle United are doing now?”
Sunderland-born Jordan Henderson has faced heavy criticism from LGBTQ+ campaigners who previously saw him as an ally over his recent move to a club in Saudi Arabia, where same-sex activity is illegal.
In an interview with The Athletic published on Tuesday, the England midfielder said that he still held the same values and that the condemnation of his transfer “really, really hurt” – adding that his being in Saudi Arabia “is only a positive thing”.
Asked if added scrutiny of the Saudi regime as a result of well-known footballers moving to the Arab nation and as a result of PIF’s majority ownership of NUFC could lead to positive reform in her home country, Ms Halthloul said: “I can believe a narrative of building bridges and footballers going to Saudi and having a positive impact. But once they are there no one speaks up, they are just part of the PR campaign.
“If people think of a footballer when they think about Saudi Arabia and not about executions or Loujain, then they aren’t having a positive impact.”
Labour councillor Jane Byrne, a member of the city council’s cabinet, met with the group ahead of the meeting and told the LDRS she was “very concerned” with the situation.
She added: “Newcastle is a city of sanctuary and I have spoken with Lina about ways in which we can work with her to highlight these issues. We are very happy to speak out in support of human rights.”
Greg Stone, a Liberal Democrat councillor, also attended the meeting and said it was “very important” for the people of Newcastle to hear Ms Hathloul’s message.
Newcastle United and the PIF were both contacted for a response.
