Stop the Killing and Torture of Migrant Workers in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia is one of the richest nation in the world. Many of its citizens have grown wealthy thanks to oil, which means that immigrants from neighboring countries frequently migrate to the country for work. In the past month, though, Saudi police have been cracking down on undocumented immigrants, demanding papers and even resorting to violence. Three Ethiopian migrants have been killed already -- some news outlets are reporting as many as ten. Even those with residency documents are facing deportation and abuse as their wealthy would-be sponsors abandon them.

This latest crackdown is certainly horrific. But immigrants in Saudi Arabia have faced a long history of disgusting abuse at the hands of their "sponsors." Reports have surfaced of Saudi sponsors raping and emotionally abusing their workers for years. In 2010, two Indonesian maids were tortured, one to the point of severe injuries and one to death. Though their sponsors were arrested, there are countless others working their employees in "slave-like" conditions with few consequences.

Saudi Arabia has an obligation to protect the migrant workers under its jurisdiction. Tell them to stop the crackdown and start working to protect immigrant workers from these appalling conditions!