ANALYSIS

THE evidence in the Khashoggi case indicates foul-play by the Saudis.

But as pressure grows for an explanation, why is the West so reluctant to criticise them?

With a long track record of human rights abuses, few would disagree Saudi Arabia warrants criticism.

Amnesty International has regularly reported that the kingdom inflicts punishments on its own citizens just as harsh as those meted out by Islamic State.

Saudi law enforces brutal punishments such as floggings and the amputation of hands and feet.

The death penalty is imposed for adultery, apostasy, homosexuality and sorcery. The practice of all faiths apart from puritanical Saudi Wahhabism is banned – including other forms of Islam.

While living in the Saudi kingdom I personally witnessed a public execution of an adulterer at ChopChop square, downtown Jeddah.

The event was matter-of-fact, routine, like watching a football match in the UK on a Saturday afternoon. But it was brutal, barbaric and unjustified.

And a Yemeni businessman I recently met said: “The Saudis are