In yet another blatant display of Saudi influence under Mohammed bin Salman, the United Nations has reportedly deleted critical remarks about Saudi Arabia from the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) held in Riyadh in December 2024. Rather than addressing global concerns over its suppression of freedoms and human rights violations, the Saudi regime is doubling down on censorship—this time extending its reach beyond its borders to silence dissent even within international forums that are supposed to promote open dialogue.
Saudi Arabia’s authoritarian grip is no longer confined to domestic repression; it is now exerting influence within international organizations, using financial leverage and diplomatic pressure to stifle criticism—even within the United Nations itself. What exactly happened, and why is Riyadh so desperate to control the global narrative instead of addressing its domestic failings?
Controlling the Global Narrative Instead of Fixing Domestic Issues
The 19th annual Internet Governance Forum, organized by the UN, featured a workshop led by Human Rights Watch and the ALQST for Human Rights organization, focusing on how the UN Cybercrime Treaty could impact freedom of expression—highlighting Saudi Arabia as a key example of digital repression.
Lina al-Hathloul, the sister of former Saudi political prisoner Loujain al-Hathloul, presented evidence on how the Saudi government manipulates cybercrime and anti-terrorism laws to crack down on activists and restrict digital freedoms.
However, following the session, the IGF Secretariat removed the official video of the event from the UN website. When it was eventually reuploaded, it had been edited to remove all direct criticism of the Saudi regime—particularly references to secret trials, arbitrary detentions, and the denial of fundamental rights to political dissidents.
Why Is the UN Erasing Criticism of Saudi Arabia?
According to multiple reports, Saudi Arabia exerted direct pressure on UN officials, demanding that the session be removed entirely. The interference did not stop there:
- Joy Xia, the researcher who moderated the session, was barred from attending the rest of the forum at Saudi Arabia’s request.
- Amnesty International publications detailing the imprisonment of Saudi activists, including Manahel al-Otaibi and Neeth Nahar, were confiscated.
- The UN justified the deletion of Saudi criticism by citing its “Code of Conduct,” which supposedly prohibits targeted criticism of specific countries—effectively shielding authoritarian regimes rather than exposing their abuses.
This incident is not an isolated case but part of a disturbing pattern where Saudi Arabia uses its financial and diplomatic clout to suppress criticism within international institutions.
Saudi Money Buys UN Silence
Instead of making meaningful reforms to improve its human rights record, Saudi Arabia pours billions into shaping its global image, ensuring that international organizations remain complicit in its repression.
For years, Riyadh has strategically invested in UN programs, using its financial contributions as leverage to deter criticism. The Saudi regime has also secured massive arms and trade deals with Western nations, effectively buying their silence on its human rights violations. This tactic has long been used with the United States and Europe, where economic interests have repeatedly overridden ethical concerns about Saudi abuses.
Additionally, Saudi Arabia has increasingly sought to host global conferences as PR opportunities, controlling the discussions and censoring critical voices within these forums. What happened at the IGF is just the latest example of how the kingdom manipulates global platforms to suit its agenda.
The goal is clear: to dominate the international discourse about Saudi Arabia and suppress any negative portrayal—even within the United Nations.
Repression at Home, Censorship Abroad
Saudi Arabia has long maintained one of the most tightly controlled media environments in the world. Freedom of speech is virtually nonexistent, with journalists, activists, and social media users facing severe punishments for even mild criticism of the government. Those who dare to speak out are subjected to imprisonment, torture, and, in extreme cases, extrajudicial killings—such as the brutal murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Now, Mohammed bin Salman is expanding this repression beyond Saudi borders, pressuring the UN and international institutions to enforce similar restrictions on discussions about his regime.
Deleting Criticism Won’t Erase the Truth
No matter how much Saudi Arabia spends on suppressing dissent, the reality of its authoritarian rule cannot be permanently erased. The kingdom’s human rights violations are well-documented—not only by independent watchdogs but by the UN’s own reports, international courts, and testimonies from Saudi exiles who fled persecution.
The UN’s decision to delete criticism of Saudi Arabia at an international conference does not negate the existence of these abuses—it only proves how deeply Riyadh has infiltrated global institutions to control its image. The fact that Saudi Arabia is using the UN as a propaganda tool instead of allowing it to function as an open forum is a damning indictment of both the regime and the international community’s willingness to accommodate its demands.
Yet, no amount of money or censorship can permanently silence the victims of Saudi repression. Their voices will continue to echo beyond the walls of censored conferences and manipulated reports. The international community may choose to look the other way for now, but the world is watching—and history will remember.
