British media sources, including The Guardian, reported today that the BBC has been accused by human rights organisations of producing promotional films and paid content in favour of the Saudi Public Investment Fund in particular, and the interests of the Saudi government more broadly.

The allegations can be summarised as follows:

▪️Producing promotional material at the request of the Saudi authorities.
▪️Polishing the image of a regime accused of human rights violations.
▪️Undermining the BBC’s credibility and impartiality.
▪️Misleading British audiences in particular, and international audiences more broadly, with false information.
▪️Accepting funding from a repressive regime.
▪️A taxpayer-funded broadcaster becoming part of a “soft power” project aimed at improving the Saudi government’s image and obscuring its alleged abuses.