“Monumental failure”: captive Saudi dissident’s son says Carney let down human rights during visit

Raif Badawi’s son Tirad said Prime Minister Mark Carney’s visit to Saudi Arabia was a “monumental failure” for human rights, expressing disappointment that Carney did not push hard enough on key advocacy issues. Tirad argued that Canadians want the prime minister to raise concerns more directly, rather than treating engagement as a substitute for concrete pressure. The criticism comes as Carney meets Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and seeks to strengthen economic and trade ties, while rights groups continue to highlight Saudi detentions and legal cases.