Reporters Without Borders (RSF) raised serious questions about the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, as he prepared for a visit to Paris to meet with President Emmanuel Macron. The organization underscored that nearly four years after the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, any return to broad international engagement by the prince should not mask accountability or a denial of justice. RSF’s Secretary General Christophe Deloire emphasized that rebuilding trust with the international community cannot happen without transparent investigations and credible consequences for those responsible.
Planning a high‑level engagement, the Saudi leadership was expected to host a working dinner with Macron at the Élysée Palace, a few days after the president of the United States, Joe Biden, visited Riyadh. This sequence of meetings drew attention to the balance between diplomatic dialogue and human rights concerns. RSF pressed Macron to keep the spotlight on press freedom and to demand concrete steps toward justice for journalists and anti‑corruption activists alike.
In particular, Deloire urged Macron to press for the release of journalists detained in Saudi Arabia, including Raif Badawi, who has spent a decade behind bars and whose family currently awaits news in Canada. The call reflects RSF’s ongoing position that justice for journalists cannot be postponed in the name of diplomacy. In their view, outspoken critics of state power should not face long incarcerations that silence information in the service of state security.
RSF has also highlighted the broader issue of judicial accountability, noting that the country’s courts have faced questions about independence and due process. In a related development, RSF said it has filed a legal action against Bin Salman in Germany, arguing that the murder of Khashoggi warrants scrutiny under international legal standards. The claim underscores the organization’s belief that senior state figures should be answerable for grave human rights violations, regardless of their position in government.
Beyond RSF, two other international NGOs—Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN) and Trial International—announced on the same day that they would pursue suits in French courts alleging complicity in torture and enforced disappearance. The actions signal a coordinated effort by civil society to pursue accountability through multiple legal venues, even when official immunity might be invoked by high‑ranking officials. The claimants contended that Bin Salman does not enjoy immunity simply because he is heir apparent rather than the head of state, a distinction that some jurisdictions have recognized in cases involving senior regime figures.
In the French political arena, Aurore Bergé, who leads the parliamentary group aligned with President Macron, defended the visit by arguing that dialogue with Gulf nations is essential. She warned that engaging with the region should not come at the expense of fundamental values and human rights. Bergé emphasized that constructive engagement does not mean neglecting abuses or the right of victims to seek justice. During an interview with France Info, she reiterated that Macron needs to maintain meaningful interlocutors in the Gulf while staying firm on universal rights, a stance intended to balance strategic interests with moral obligations.
Observers note that the Biden administration recently conducted its own outreach to Riyadh, a move that some analysts say may influence the tone and expectations of Paris‑Riyadh discussions. The broader context remains a debate about how Western democracies can pursue security and energy cooperation with Gulf countries without compromising commitments to press freedom, judicial fairness, and the protection of journalists and dissidents. Those who monitor these developments argue that sustained, principled diplomacy should be paired with transparent accountability mechanisms as a prerequisite for durable partnerships with the Gulf states. The dialogue, as framed by Macron’s supporters, is meant to be pragmatic yet principled, ensuring that dialogue and rights protection are not mutually exclusive. [Citation: RSF statements, 2023‑2024, attributed to Christophe Deloire]