<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A new report from Human Rights Watch reveals severe labor abuses faced by migrant workers in Saudi Arabia, particularly in high-profile giga-projects. The 79-page report, titled \u201cDie First, and I\u2019ll Pay You Later,\u201d highlights systemic exploitation, including forced labor, wage theft, and inadequate protections against extreme heat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The report is based on interviews with over 155 migrant workers and their families. It details how workers are burdened with exorbitant recruitment fees and face violations of their employment contracts. One worker recounted, \u201cI was paid on time for the first two months, but never thereafter,\u201d illustrating the pervasive wage theft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite the 2021 Labor Reform Initiative aimed at easing job transfers, many workers encounter barriers that abusive employers exploit. Some are coerced into signing agreements that require them to pay their previous employers to change jobs. A NEOM project worker reported paying over 12,000 riyals (approximately US$3,200) just to switch employment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The report also highlights dangerous working conditions, particularly related to extreme heat, with workers often fainting on-site. Human Rights Watch noted that 884 Bangladeshis died in Saudi Arabia between January and July 2024, many deaths attributed to unexplained causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
FIFA is set to confirm Saudi Arabia as the host for the 2034 Men\u2019s World Cup on December 11, 2024, without requiring binding human rights commitments. Human Rights Watch criticized FIFA\u2019s lack of due diligence, emphasizing that the ongoing abuses will have dire consequences for migrant workers and their families. The organization urged Saudi authorities to implement promised labor reforms effectively to protect workers’ rights.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A new report from Human Rights Watch reveals severe labor abuses faced by migrant workers in Saudi Arabia, particularly in high-profile giga-projects. The 79-page report, titled \u201cDie First, and I\u2019ll Pay You Later,\u201d highlights systemic exploitation, including forced labor, wage theft, and inadequate protections against extreme heat. The report is based on interviews with over …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":115063,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"facebook_108372464460192_245495985553329":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[11444,89],"class_list":["post-115062","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-saudi","tag-abuses-against-migrant-workers","tag-amnesty-international"],"yoast_head":"\n