Saudi Arabia: more bad press Summary: Saudi Arabia criticised for women and Khashoggi trials, mass execution of 37, etc. but big business and Trump still loyal. In our posting of 2 April we considered the impact of the two trials of women activists and of those accused of involvement in the murder of Khashoggi on other aspects of Saudi Arabia's relations with the rest of the world. Since then there is little to report on those two trials, but other events have increased the impact to the point where it is no surprise when the BBC story of a "Saudi-born, British fashion stylist Basma Khalifa… persuaded to travel back to Saudi Arabia" is headed simply "Inside the real Saudi Arabia: why I had to leave", or a CNN story is headed "The case of a Saudi prince illustrates a pattern of arbitrary detention". A Reuters report "Fearing death, runaway Saudi sisters appeal for world's help" concerns two Saudi sisters who are "confused and terrified" and have asked for help, but not apparently for asylum. The two women urged Apple and Google to pull an “inhuman” app which allows men to update or withdraw permissions for female relatives to travel abroad. Those accused in the Khashoggi trial include the deputy head of intelligence Ahmad al-Asiri but not Saud al-Qahtani (known as Dilim) who is close to MBS. The Saudi opposition blogger Mujtahidd tweeted on 27 April that under pressure from Trump and Pompeo and contrary to all expectations MBS had been obliged to put Qahtani under house arrest with the possibility that he would become the scapegoat. On 3 April the 11 women activists were back in court to face charges relating to contacts with foreign journalists, diplomats and human rights groups; other charges are said to include applying for a job at the UN. Three had been temporarily released. Allegations of torture were again denied by the prosecution. Hearings have reportedly been postponed until after Ramadan, which ends in early June, or possibly later. On 5 April eight activist supporters of the women including two US/Saudi dual nationals were reportedly arrested and five others placed under a travel ban, and on 10 April a further six were arrested. On 2 April 2 people were reported killed and two arrested having targeted a checkpoint in Qatif, the centre of the mainly Shia area in the east, with explosives. Later this month security forces said they thwarted an attack claimed by IS in Zulfi, 155 miles north-west of Riyadh, killing four alleged militants followed by 13 arrests. On 24 April the UN human rights chief condemned the beheading of 37 Saudis in the previous week allegedly for terrorist crimes, saying most were minority Shia who may not have had fair trials and at least three were minors when sentenced. According to Amnesty International most were convicted after "sham trials" having participated in protests in the Eastern Province in 2011/12, and 11 were convicted of spying for Iran. According to a CNN report alleged confessions of guilt had been written by their torturers. The executions were condemned by others including the British government and a wide number of members of parliament in a debate in the House of Commons on 24 April; "We are very concerned… The Foreign Secretary will be raising this matter with the Saudi authorities at the earliest opportunity. The UK Government oppose the death penalty in all circumstances and in every country… We regularly raise human rights concerns, including the use of the death penalty, at the highest levels with the Saudi Arabian authorities." On 19 April Turkey arrested two people suspected of spying for the UAE at the time of Khashoggi's murder; one committed suicide in prison. Jared Kushner said on 23 April he had sometime earlier urged MBS to be transparent about Khashoggi's death; asked about the CIA's belief that MBS ordered the killing he said “Look, I’m not going to dispute American intelligence services’ recommendations.” Khashoggi’s children have denied discussing any settlement or compensation awards for the killing (after a verdict of homicide payment of negotiated compensation is normal under Saudi law). Saudi Arabia has continued its long-established practice of moves to improve the position of women, or at least to suggest an improvement. Yesterday 28 April the Saudi press agency published a list of recent senior official appointments of women and other claimed advances. On 4 April Rima Jufffali announced her debut as a Formula 4 motor racing driver although she only started racing last year when the ban on women driving was lifted. In February Rima bint Bandar bin Sultan, daughter of the former Saudi ambassador to Washington, was herself appointed ambassador; on 19 April in an open letter addressed to her most or all of the women in the US Senate urged her to play a leading role in improving the life of women in Saudi Arabia and in particular ending the male guardianship system. In March Saudi Arabia gave UN Women, a UN entity established in 2011, a donation and it was agreed that they would collaborate on a new report on women's rights. The Saudis produced a report which UN women officials regarded as an outrageous misrepresentation of reality; the row about whether it will be published continues. Meanwhile at least some of the international finance tycoons who boycotted a Saudi investment summit last year following the Khashoggi murder have fallen into line; according to the CEO of HSBC for example “This is an economy that we have a lot of confidence in, I think the future is bright… The changes here in the kingdom in the last two years are pretty amazing.” President Trump told a rally on 27 April that Saudi Arabia is a very rich country – “They buy a lot from us, $450 billion they bought… They have nothing but cash, right? They bought $450 billion. I don’t want to lose them!” (the fact checking website PolitiFact rates the $450 million claim "pants on fire").