European Parliament: Lawmakers reveal Saudi tactics to camouflage European arms shipments

The “united left” bloc in the European Parliament called on the Presidency of the Parliament to provide clarifications regarding ships that arrive in Spanish ports to ship weapons and ammunition to Saudi Arabia for use in the Yemen war

The “united left” bloc in the European Parliament called on the Presidency of the Parliament to provide clarifications regarding ships that arrive in Spanish ports to ship weapons and ammunition to Saudi Arabia for use in the Yemen war, which is in contradiction with European and international laws, and the bloc revealed tactics used by a Saudi company to camouflage the shipments.

The claim of this bloc includes knowing whether Parliament is aware of these ships, and whether it will open an investigation in light of its recommendation not to sell weapons to the countries participating in the Yemen war.

According to the Spanish newspaper “Publicico”, the 39-member bloc is the most prominent document that shows what he said were violations committed by the Saudi “Bahri” company, including defrauding the ship identification system, submitting an incorrect navigation map, as well as anchoring near civilian ports, which endangers other ships and civilians. Violations were described as a flagrant violation of the law of the sea.

Amnesty International has stated that in May 2019 that the European shipment of weapons to Saudi Arabia, is contrary to the obligations of European countries, members of the Arms Trade Treaty, in view of the possibility of those likely to use weapons in Yemen war.

The organization added that the European Union countries “should not authorize the transfer of weapons or their transit to a conflict zone, where weapons are used in a clear manner to commit war crimes, and other serious violations of international law.”

Riyadh has imported between 2013 and 2018 nearly half of British arms exports, a third of what Belgium exported, and other countries such as France, Spain and Italy are among the major European countries in exporting arms to Riyadh.