Human Rights Watch: Saudi Arabia Detains Workers Protesting Unpaid Wages

Human Rights Watch: Saudi Arabia Detains Workers Protesting Unpaid Wages
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Human Rights Watch (HRW) has reported that Saudi authorities detained 11 migrant workers employed by Baitur Saudi Arabian Construction Company after they staged a strike in Mecca to protest the non-payment of wages for more than eight months.

According to HRW, over 600 workers have been affected at the Masar Project, a $26 billion development funded by the Saudi Public Investment Fund. The detainees are reportedly from several countries, including Turkey, Egypt, India, and Pakistan.

Some were allegedly arrested and intimidated after sharing videos of their protest at the Mecca labor camp. Michael Page, HRW’s deputy director for the Middle East, described the situation as a “blatant theft of low-income workers’ wages” by a company working on a government-backed megaproject. He said the case highlights the failure of Saudi Arabia’s wage protection system, which offers little real security for migrant laborers.

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources acknowledged the company’s financial difficulties and said the Wage Protection System helps detect noncompliance and allows legal action, but did not address the status of the detained workers.

HRW noted that Saudi law imposes strict limits on freedom of expression and labor organization, banning strikes and unions for foreign workers. The organization cited testimonies from workers describing exhaustion, broken promises, and claims of being accused of “speaking against the state.”

Labor rights advocates say the case underscores a stark contrast between Saudi Arabia’s modernization efforts and ongoing repression and exploitation faced by migrant workers in the kingdom.