UK Saudi arms sales 'unlawful', British Lords committee rules

UK arms sales to Saudi Arabia are unlawful due to the high civilian death toll, British lawmakers ruled on Saturday, urging some restrictions on export licenses to Riyadh.

The all-party Lords committee accused ministers of not carrying out independent checks to see if British weapons sold to Saudi Arabia were not being used against civilians and accused the UK of being on "the wrong side of the law".

It also described the humanitarian situation in Yemen - where Saudi Arabia is leading a military coalition against Houthi rebels - as "unconscionable", according to The Guardian.

It comes ahead of a plea by campaigners to the high court to bar the UK's arms sales to Saudi Arabia.

Although the latest ruling has no legal implications it will be a further embarrassment to both London and Riyadh over the handling of the Yemen war.
 
"The government asserts that, in its licensing of arms sales to Saudi Arabia, it is narrowly on the right side of international humanitarian law," the report ruled. 

"Although conclusive evidence is not yet available, we assess that it is narrowly on the wrong side: given the volume and type of arms being exported to the Saudi-led coalition, we believe they are highly likely to be the cause of significant civilian casualties in Yemen, risking the contravention of international humanitarian law."

It added that the UK should immediately condemn any actions taken by the Saudi-led coalition against civilians in Yemen - including a de-facto humanitarian blockade and civilian casualties - and be prepared to suspend "some key export licences to members of the coalition", which includes the UAE.

"[We are] deeply concerned that the Saudi-led coalition’s misuse of the weaponry is causing - whether deliberately or accidentally - loss of civilian life," it added.

The US Congress already voted to ban weapons exports to Saudi Arabia over the bloody Yemen war - which has cost at least 10,000 lives, mostly civilians - although President Donald Trump will likely veto this.