We can work on Media Reporting of Human Rights Violations in Saudi Arabia Name Institution Media Reporting of Human Rights Violations in Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia is a country that has been in the international limelight for stretchered periods of time in the recent past, with respect to reports of human rights violations. Advanced democracies of the world seem to take a keen interest in the human rights issues in Saudi Arabia. This paper is an assessment of the extent to which international media based in democracies cover human rights violations in Saudi Arabia, focusing solely on 2019 coverage. The paper will majorly involve tabular representations of findings and analysis of the findings. Subsequent analysis of the presented tables will be presented. In order to prevent the idea of bias against Saudi Arabia, another Middle East nation was selected for analysis, with the aim of drawing parallels with Saudi Arabia. Iran is another Middle East nation that has been firmly focused on by democracies, with a plethora of issues brought into light; including human rights violations. Analysis of Iran alongside Saudi Arabi will help point out any elements of bias with respect to how Western media coverage of human rights abuses in Saudi Arabia. Several countries are considered as democracies around the world. These are nations where the rule of law is evident, clear separation of powers between government organs is assured, and there are desired checks and balances. Nations such as Australia, France, New Zealand, United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom among others are considered as world democracies. The paper settles on media from the United Kingdom and the United States, as they stand out as the most reputable democracies of the world; with significant international influence. In gathering information for the paper, I came up with a code book that took me to the information I needed for the paper. Information on media, location, and ideology informed the media reports settled on for the paper. Media Reports on Human Rights issues in Saudi Arabia and Iran Saudi Arabia Country Left Wing Right Wing United Kingdom Daily Mirror: 16th September 2019, reports that Saudi Arabia has executed 134 people, declares the act barbaric, and urges world leaders to boycott the G20 summit in Saudi Arabia. Daily Telegraph: 13th November 2019, report on Saudi Arabia’s act of distancing itself to claims that it intends to declare feminism as extremism. Points out to the nation’s efforts to present a modernized version of the kingdom. United States New York Times: 13th November 2019, reports that Saudi’s anti extremist force named feminists are targets, but briefly. The act is interpreted as a sign of division within the government, with segments warming up to a more liberal nation. Fox News: 7th March 2019, reports that jailed Saudi women’s rights activists are subjected to brutal torture and sexual harassment. Iran Country Left Right Wing United Kingdom Daily Mirror: 14th March 2019, reported that a human rights activist lawyer had been sentenced to 148 lashes. Her crime was representing women persecuted for not wearing head scarves; though the government preferred other frivolous charges against her. The Daily Telegraph: 22nd October 2019, reported that Miss World Iran 2018 was pleading for asylum in the Philippines after being targeted by Iran for assault charges, with the reality being that her political activism and advocacy for women’s rights put her in trouble. United State New York Times: 13th March 2019, reports on the Iranian lawyer sentenced to 38 years imprisonment and 148 lashes; that her only crime was defending women’s rights. Fox News: 24th October 2019, reported that European lawmakers demanded sanctions on Iran for human rights abuse, terming US sanctions on Iran definitive while European sanctions as merely symbolic World Leaders (Politician)’s Comments on Human Rights Issues in Saudi Arabia and Iran Saudi Arabia Politician/Leader Name Country Politician/Leader Ideology (Left/Right wing) Reporting Newspaper Comments Donald Trump United States Right Wing The Guardian (UK), 25th June 2019. “He has seen several reports on Saudi Arabia Human Rights abuses, and does not see a problem in trading with them. Sally Mansfield Australia (UN Human Rights Council) Left Wing The Guardian (UK), 24th September 2019. “We remain deeply concerned at the human rights situation in Saudi Arabia” Iran Politician/Leader Name Country Politician/Leader Ideology (Left/Right wing) Reporting Newspaper Comments Donald Trump United States Right Wing Speech/White House Press, 25th September 2019. “The regime’s record of death and destruction is well known to us all” Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan United Arab Emirates (Foreign Minister) Right Wing TRT World (Turkey), 28th September 2019. World leaders should take a firm stance on Iran Tabular Representation of Media Reports Harsh Reports Tolerant Reports Left wing Right wing Left wing Right wing 3 (2 on Iran and 1 on Saudi Arabia) 3 (2 on Iran and 1 on Saudi Arabia) 1 (on Saudi Arabia) 1 (on Saudi Arabia) Tabular Representation of Politicians’ Comments Harsh Tolerant Left Wing Right Wing Left Wing Right Wing 1 (on Saudi Arabia) 3 (two on Iran and one on Saudi Arabia) 0 1 (on Saudi Arabia) The analysis of media reports and politician comments as covered by media outlets located outside Saudi Arabia, leads to the finding that media coverage is largely based on the ideology in a particular country or locality and global politics. Before commencing the exercise, it could have been presumed that international media, particularly western media, cover negatively human rights issues in Saudi Arabia. However, the inclusion of Iran as part of the exercise has revealed that ideology and global politics inform some of the reports made in the media and utterances by politicians from different regions. Human rights abuses in Iran and Saudi Arabia were largely harshly reported by right-wing media outlets in the UK and the United States. Out of eight reports, there were only two tolerant once; the right-wing Daily Telegraph of the UK and the left-wing New York Times of the United States noting trends towards positive change in how human rights issues are handled in Saudi Arabia. Six reports, from both left-wing and right-wing media entities, in the UK and the United States harshly reported human rights abuses in both Saudi Arabia and Iran. The Guardian, a left-wing United Kingdom media outlet, harshly blasted the utterances by United States president Donald Trump with regards to continued trade with Saudi Arabia despite allegations of human rights abuses. The utterances by world politicians point out to world leaders defending their own ideologies and positions. President Donald Trump for example was critical of the situation in Iran, but downplayed Saudi Arabia’s violations. Other politicians expressed their views based on their ideologies and the positions they held; as well as trends in global politics. Ideologies tend to inform reporting in media (Van Dijk, 2006). Political leaders are also prone to form their opinions on various issues based on their ideologies and inherent interests on a particular issue, as prevalent in global politics. The exercise on media reporting on human rights violations in Saudi Arabia has made this apparent.   Reference Chakraborty, B. (2019). Jailed Saudi women’s rights activist subjected to ‘brutal torture and sexual harassment’, brother claims. Fox News. Cheeseman, A. (2019). Saudi Arabia distances itself from video warning that feminism is extremism. Daily Telegraph. Shadwell, T. (2019). Saudi Arabia executes 134 as crucifixions rise – with 3 children at risk of death. Mirror. The Editorial Board. (2019). Her crime? Defending women’s rights. New York Times. Van Dijk, T. A. (2006). Ideology and discourse analysis. Journal of political ideologies, 11(2), 115-140.

Media Reporting of Human Rights Violations in Saudi Arabia Name Institution Media Reporting of Human Rights Violations in Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia is a country that has been in the international limelight for stretchered periods of time in the recent past, with respect to reports of human rights violations. Advanced democracies of the world seem to take a keen interest in the human rights issues in Saudi Arabia. This paper is an assessment of the extent to which international media based in democracies cover human rights violations in Saudi Arabia, focusing solely on 2019 coverage. The paper will majorly involve tabular representations of findings and analysis of the findings. Subsequent analysis of the presented tables will be presented. In order to prevent the idea of bias against Saudi Arabia, another Middle East nation was selected for analysis, with the aim of drawing parallels with Saudi Arabia. Iran is another Middle East nation that has been firmly focused on by democracies, with a plethora of issues brought into light; including human rights violations. Analysis of Iran alongside Saudi Arabi will help point out any elements of bias with respect to how Western media coverage of human rights abuses in Saudi Arabia. Several countries are considered as democracies around the world. These are nations where the rule of law is evident, clear separation of powers between government organs is assured, and there are desired checks and balances. Nations such as Australia, France, New Zealand, United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom among others are considered as world democracies. The paper settles on media from the United Kingdom and the United States, as they stand out as the most reputable democracies of the world; with significant international influence. In gathering information for the paper, I came up with a code book that took me to the information I needed for the paper. Information on media, location, and ideology informed the media reports settled on for the paper. Media Reports on Human Rights issues in Saudi Arabia and Iran Saudi Arabia Country Left Wing Right Wing United Kingdom Daily Mirror: 16th September 2019, reports that Saudi Arabia has executed 134 people, declares the act barbaric, and urges world leaders to boycott the G20 summit in Saudi Arabia. Daily Telegraph: 13th November 2019, report on Saudi Arabia’s act of distancing itself to claims that it intends to declare feminism as extremism. Points out to the nation’s efforts to present a modernized version of the kingdom. United States New York Times: 13th November 2019, reports that Saudi’s anti extremist force named feminists are targets, but briefly. The act is interpreted as a sign of division within the government, with segments warming up to a more liberal nation. Fox News: 7th March 2019, reports that jailed Saudi women’s rights activists are subjected to brutal torture and sexual harassment. Iran Country Left Right Wing United Kingdom Daily Mirror: 14th March 2019, reported that a human rights activist lawyer had been sentenced to 148 lashes. Her crime was representing women persecuted for not wearing head scarves; though the government preferred other frivolous charges against her. The Daily Telegraph: 22nd October 2019, reported that Miss World Iran 2018 was pleading for asylum in the Philippines after being targeted by Iran for assault charges, with the reality being that her political activism and advocacy for women’s rights put her in trouble. United State New York Times: 13th March 2019, reports on the Iranian lawyer sentenced to 38 years imprisonment and 148 lashes; that her only crime was defending women’s rights. Fox News: 24th October 2019, reported that European lawmakers demanded sanctions on Iran for human rights abuse, terming US sanctions on Iran definitive while European sanctions as merely symbolic World Leaders (Politician)’s Comments on Human Rights Issues in Saudi Arabia and Iran Saudi Arabia Politician/Leader Name Country Politician/Leader Ideology (Left/Right wing) Reporting Newspaper Comments Donald Trump United States Right Wing The Guardian (UK), 25th June 2019. “He has seen several reports on Saudi Arabia Human Rights abuses, and does not see a problem in trading with them. Sally Mansfield Australia (UN Human Rights Council) Left Wing The Guardian (UK), 24th September 2019. “We remain deeply concerned at the human rights situation in Saudi Arabia” Iran Politician/Leader Name Country Politician/Leader Ideology (Left/Right wing) Reporting Newspaper Comments Donald Trump United States Right Wing Speech/White House Press, 25th September 2019. “The regime’s record of death and destruction is well known to us all” Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan United Arab Emirates (Foreign Minister) Right Wing TRT World (Turkey), 28th September 2019. World leaders should take a firm stance on Iran Tabular Representation of Media Reports Harsh Reports Tolerant Reports Left wing Right wing Left wing Right wing 3 (2 on Iran and 1 on Saudi Arabia) 3 (2 on Iran and 1 on Saudi Arabia) 1 (on Saudi Arabia) 1 (on Saudi Arabia) Tabular Representation of Politicians’ Comments Harsh Tolerant Left Wing Right Wing Left Wing Right Wing 1 (on Saudi Arabia) 3 (two on Iran and one on Saudi Arabia) 0 1 (on Saudi Arabia) The analysis of media reports and politician comments as covered by media outlets located outside Saudi Arabia, leads to the finding that media coverage is largely based on the ideology in a particular country or locality and global politics. Before commencing the exercise, it could have been presumed that international media, particularly western media, cover negatively human rights issues in Saudi Arabia. However, the inclusion of Iran as part of the exercise has revealed that ideology and global politics inform some of the reports made in the media and utterances by politicians from different regions. Human rights abuses in Iran and Saudi Arabia were largely harshly reported by right-wing media outlets in the UK and the United States. Out of eight reports, there were only two tolerant once; the right-wing Daily Telegraph of the UK and the left-wing New York Times of the United States noting trends towards positive change in how human rights issues are handled in Saudi Arabia. Six reports, from both left-wing and right-wing media entities, in the UK and the United States harshly reported human rights abuses in both Saudi Arabia and Iran. The Guardian, a left-wing United Kingdom media outlet, harshly blasted the utterances by United States president Donald Trump with regards to continued trade with Saudi Arabia despite allegations of human rights abuses. The utterances by world politicians point out to world leaders defending their own ideologies and positions. President Donald Trump for example was critical of the situation in Iran, but downplayed Saudi Arabia’s violations. Other politicians expressed their views based on their ideologies and the positions they held; as well as trends in global politics. Ideologies tend to inform reporting in media (Van Dijk, 2006). Political leaders are also prone to form their opinions on various issues based on their ideologies and inherent interests on a particular issue, as prevalent in global politics. The exercise on media reporting on human rights violations in Saudi Arabia has made this apparent.   Reference Chakraborty, B. (2019). Jailed Saudi women’s rights activist subjected to ‘brutal torture and sexual harassment’, brother claims. Fox News. Cheeseman, A. (2019). Saudi Arabia distances itself from video warning that feminism is extremism. Daily Telegraph. Shadwell, T. (2019). Saudi Arabia executes 134 as crucifixions rise – with 3 children at risk of death. Mirror. The Editorial Board. (2019). Her crime? Defending women’s rights. New York Times. Van Dijk, T. A. (2006). Ideology and discourse analysis. Journal of political ideologies, 11(2), 115-140. – Barbra Dozier’s Blog

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