The Independent reports today that politicians and campaigners will demand Theresa May vote against Saudi Arabia retaining the powerful chairmanship of the UN Human Rights Council after a year which saw the country’s government savagely bomb Yemen, commit vast numbers of beheadings, a mass execution and detain activists.

Their call, on World Humanitarian Day, comes ahead of a critical UN vote on whether Saudi Arabia remains in the post, which it has controversially held since this time last year…

More than 6,500 people have died in the Yemeni conflict according to the UN and a further 2.5 million have been displaced. Over half the population faces severe food insecurity.

Save the Children says one in three under-fives is suffering acute malnutrition, while schools and hospitals have been flattened by Saudi bombs.

This week around 11 people were killed in an air strike on a hospital, following a pattern of bombings in civilian areas.

Amnesty and Human Rights Watch say they have identified 69 unlawful air strikes, some of which may amount to war crimes, killing at least 913 civilians. The two organisations also documented 19 attacks involving banned cluster munitions.

Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Tim Brake said:

“Days after yet another hospital has been bombed in Yemen, it is time for the UK government to reconfirm our commitment to International Humanitarian Law and be absolutely clear that we will not support the re-election of Saudi Arabia to the UN Human Rights Council.

“The Conservatives claim that votes to the council are always kept secret, but we demand transparency on this critical issue and will no longer accept their endless excuses for the Saudi regime.”

“This Friday, on World Humanitarian Day, this is the UK’s chance to show true solidarity with all people facing conflict and instability across the globe.”