Amnesty International has urged German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who is set to begin a trip to three Gulf countries on Wednesday, to insist that the governments he visits uphold universal rule of law. Katja Müller‑Fahlbusch, a Middle‑East and North‑Africa specialist for the German branch of the human‑rights group, said the federal government must stop the repeated mistake of propping up regimes that systematically violate basic human rights simply in the name of “stability”.
She noted that true stability depends on respect for human rights and international law-a standard that Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are far from meeting. For instance, in the first half of 2025 Saudi authorities carried out more than 180 executions, the majority for drug‑related offences, which Müller‑Fahlbusch called a clear breach of international law. Activists who advocate for freedom and rights are routinely detained for years or placed under house arrest following unfair trials. The UAE, she added, not only suppresses dissent within its own borders but also contributes to one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises by supplying weapons to Sudan’s RSF.
If Merz wants to advance genuine stability in the region, the spokesperson said, he must make these concerns explicit and demand that all Gulf states respect universal legal principles.
Jürgen Hardt, the CDU/CSU parliamentary group’s foreign‑policy spokesperson, highlighted the economic dimension of the trip. “In Germany, economic interests and security needs never align so well as in the Gulf” he told the “Tagesspiegel”. Hardt said Merz will actively promote investment opportunities in Germany as part of a broader strategy of deeper economic ties.
A key focus of the visit, according to Hardt, will be the situation in Iran. He stressed that Merz must understand Arab countries’ positions on their own terms and work toward a lasting end to Iranian aggression, especially against Israel. The discussion will also cover how to halt the ongoing killings of the Iranian population by its own regime.
Adis Ahmetovic, the SPD parliamentary group’s foreign‑policy spokesperson, described the Gulf region as “an important strategic partner-both for regional stability and for trade, green energy, investment, and diplomacy”. He said the Gulf’s diplomatic influence is central to resolving conflicts in Gaza, Syria, and Iran, and to ending the Sudanese war that has raged for over 1,000 days. Ahmetovic added that German and European values should guide conversations on topics that still separate the parties.
