A campaign group is preparing for a High Court fight with the Government over arms sales to Saudi Arabia. Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) said it is challenging the legality of a decision to renew arms sales to the “Saudi-led coalition that is bombing Yemen”.
Two judges, Lord Justice Popplewell and Mr Justice Henshaw, are due to start considering evidence at a hearing in London on Tuesday.
CAAT won a similar fight in 2019, when Court of Appeal judges said continuing to license military equipment for export to Saudi Arabia was unlawful. The Government said then that it would temporarily halt the granting of new licences to export arms to Saudi Arabia.
A CAAT spokeswoman said the group was returning to court because sales had resumed. The group said in a statement on its website that the “legality” of the decision to “renew arms sales to the Saudi-led coalition that is bombing Yemen” was being challenged.
“Campaign Against Arms Trade is taking the UK Government to court over its licensing of arms sales to Saudi Arabia for use in its war with Yemen,” said the spokeswoman. “CAAT is arguing that UK arms have contributed to breaches of international humanitarian law and one of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters.”
She added: “Given the Court of Appeal’s previous ruling, we should not have to be in court again.” The spokeswoman said the hearing was expected to end later this week.
A Government spokesman said: “We cannot comment on ongoing legal proceedings.”
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