Arab NGOs call on Hamilton to stay away from Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
F1 News
- GPblog.com
In an open letter to Lewis Hamilton, some 50 human rights organisations from various Arab countries call on the world champion to boycott the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. They hope to respond to the social commitment Hamilton has shown in recent years.
From 3 to 5 December 2021, if all goes according to plan, the first Grand Prix of Saudi Arabia will be held. Despite the social criticism on the country, it is expected that all teams and drivers will appear at the start. A whole host of Arab NGOs are now asking Hamilton to abandon the idea or at least use the GP to draw attention to human rights.
"You have shown immense courage in your fight. If the best F1 driver refuses to race in Saudi Arabia, it will be discussed and it could be of great importance to convince the country to finally change its view on human rights. It would show that the world is not blind to the fact that Saudi Arabia is trying to hide its war crimes and human rights violations," is the most important passage from the letter, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.
War in Yemen
The organisations are not only referring to the repression of their own population, but also to the situation in Yemen. The Saudi regime is ruthless in its fight against the Houthi rebels and is even said to have been guilty of bombing a wedding. However, Saudi Arabia itself is also under fire. Just this weekend, during the Formula E races in Riyadh.