Amnesty takes swing at Joshua, Ruiz showdown in Saudi Arabia

Amnesty International has stepped up its condemnation of the Anthony Joshua fight in Saudi Arabia after its researchers uncovered ‘‘worsening repression’’ in the days before the bout.

Joshua fights Andy Ruiz Jnr in Diriyah on Saturday, having been criticised for ignoring the state’s human rights abuses by agreeing a deal worth up to £83 million (NZ$165 million).

Campaigners, who had already accused the boxers of being complicit in ‘‘sportswashing’’ on the nation’s behalf, now say there has been a further ‘‘serious downturn’’ in local freedoms.

At least eight intellectuals and former journalists have been held in a crackdown on critics of the Saudi ruling family. Amnesty says this is evidence of deteriorating standards in the state, where 146 executions took place in the course of a year.

Felix Jakens, Amnesty UK’s head of campaigns, told The Daily Telegraph: ‘‘The fight is being staged against a backdrop of worsening repression in Saudi Arabia.’’

Despite allegations of oppression against media, those working at the fight do not believe they are at risk.

Joshua had previously insisted it was better to engage with Saudi, rather than ‘‘accusing, pointing fingers and shouting from Great Britain’’.

The Associated Press reported last week that a fresh wave of arrests, which began last week, are part of a continuous two-year crackdown on activists and perceived critics of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, which drew global scrutiny after 15 Saudi government agents killed journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Turkey last year.

Jakens said the current political abuses illustrated why the fight was being utilised as a ‘‘PR moment’’ for the host country.

‘‘There’s already been a sustained and sweeping human rights crackdown, with women’s rights activists, lawyers and members of the Shia minority community all targeted,’’ Jakens said.

‘‘Now there are further extremely worrying reports of a fresh wave of arrests.’’