AMNESTY International is calling on Albion fans to voice concerns about the Saudi Arabian takeover of Newcastle United when The Magpies visit Brighton on Saturday.
The Premier League’s newest owners have a poor record on human rights, particularly in relation to women and the LGBT community with reports of gay people facing the death penalty.
The human rights organisation spoke out after Crystal Palace supporters at Newcastle’s last away match held up a banner which took aim at the league for allowing the £305m deal to go through.
It included a checklist of alleged offences by the Saudi regime including "terrorism, beheading, civil right abuses, murder, censorship and persecution".
Speaking head of Saturday’s match, Felix Jakens, Amnesty International UK’s Head of Campaigns, said: "Football has its own issues with racism and other hate speech, but fans have a perfect right to voice concerns about serious human rights abuses in Saudi Arabia.
“The greater the spotlight on Saudi human rights violations, the better.
“If fans around the country are speaking about Saudi beheadings, about alleged Saudi war crimes in Yemen or the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, then that’s a useful way of getting basic facts about Saudi Arabia’s appalling human rights record out into the wider world.”
Following the Crystal Palace demonstration, police launched an investigation saying “allegations of racist abuse will be taken very seriously’.
However, officers quickly dropped the probe saying no offences had been committed.
Mr Jakens added: “One irony, of course, is that no-one in Saudi Arabia could possibly hope to hold up a banner denouncing human rights abuses in the Kingdom without risking a long jail sentence.”
“Supporters of teams playing Newcastle United should bear in mind that human rights abuses in Saudi Arabia are extremely grave - people have been jailed, tortured and even killed - so any protests ought to be serious ones.
“Though the Newcastle buyout is clearly part of the Saudi authorities’ long-term attempt to sportswash the country’s image, it’s fairly predictable that the effect in the short term has been to trigger greater discussion of human rights abuses in the country.
“Greater awareness of Saudi human rights issues is extremely welcome, and we hope it can lead to sustained pressure for much-needed reforms.”
The Crystal Palace fan group, Holmesdale Fanatics, said it was responsible for the anti-Saudi banner which included a picture of a man holding a sword covered in blood.
It issued a statement which said: “The Saudi-led takeover of Newcastle has rightly received widespread condemnation and anger.
“To give the thumbs up to this deal at a time when the Premier League is promoting the women’s game and inclusive initiatives such as rainbow armbands, shows the total hypocrisy at play and demonstrates the league’s soulless agenda where profits trump all.”
Last month’s takeover of Newcastle United was 80 per cent financed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) which is headed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Waving the deal through, the Premier League said it had received legal assurances the Saudi state would not control Newcastle United, but the Palace fan group’s statement said this decision “made a mockery” of the league's owners and directors test.
Following the takeover jubilant fans of Newcastle United, which overnight became "the richest club in the world", turned up at the first home match under Saudi ownership wearing headdresses.
And in the away end at the Crystal Palace match, Magpies fans were seen waving the green flag of Saudi Arabia.
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