Amnesty International Urges Rejection of Saudi Bid to Dismiss Migrant Workers Complaint

Amnesty International has called on ILO member states to reject Saudi Arabia’s request to dismiss a complaint over migrant workers’ rights violations, during the Governing Body session (March 23 – April 2).

The complaint, submitted by African trade unions under Article 26 of the ILO Constitution, alleges widespread and ongoing abuses, including forced labor, wage theft, and poor working and living conditions.

Steve Cockburn of Amnesty said Saudi authorities are “actively trying to bury the complaint,” stressing that recent reforms have failed to dismantle the kafala system, leaving millions of workers exposed to exploitation. Many still face illegal recruitment fees, deception in hiring, unpaid wages, excessive working hours, and unsafe or degrading conditions.

Domestic workers remain particularly vulnerable to forced labor, confinement, physical abuse, and sexual violence, as they are excluded from key labor law protections.

Amnesty emphasized that Saudi claims of reform should not distract from clear evidence of ongoing violations, urging ILO members to continue reviewing the complaint until real improvements are demonstrated.

The complaint documents abuses such as workers being forced to work 18–20 hours a day, denied wages and healthcare, and subjected to violence, harassment, and racism—especially African workers.

Saudi Arabia had requested dismissal of the complaint in January, but Amnesty maintains that the evidence aligns with consistent findings from independent reports.