Thread by @hancock_steph

Just back from Court of Appeal in London. @hrw will respond more fully soon, but for now a quick thread on today's ruling by 3 judges on UK arms sales to Saudi Arabia.

UK govt has LOST and judges at Court of Appeal rule UK decision-making on its arms sales to Saudi Arabia has been unlawful. The UK govt has promised to STOP arms sales to Saudi Arabia for now with immediate effect - this is a major victory for human rights groups.

Judges ruled that the UK govt is wrong to continue selling arms to Saudi Arabia without considering Saudi’s appalling human rights record in the war it's conducting in Yemen

Since the Saudi-led coalition began its war in Yemen, it has unlawfully killed thousand of civilians in airstrikes - attacking schools, mosques, homes - even a wedding ceremony and a school bus, see here: hrw.org/news/2018/09/0…

So far the UK govt has ignored mounting evidence of these violations of the laws of war, despite rigorous on-the-ground investigations by groups like @hrw @amnesty and others

Today’s historic ruling means the UK govt can no longer deny these violations, and as a result it has - for now at least - promised to stop selling arms to Saudi Arabia.

This ruling also affects other European countries that sell arms to Saudi - notably France and Germany - who are now on notice too. Watch this space.

People have long argued that to sell arms to Saudi Arabia when it’s indiscriminately killing civilians is morally wrong. What judges today have confirmed is that it’s now legally unsound as well.

Ends. #StopArmingSaudi