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A complaint has been filed with the UN's International Labour Organization alleging that Saudi Arabia is using forced labor among its migrant workforce. The complaint states that migrant workers are facing labor rights violations such as unpaid wages, passport confiscation, and debt bondage. The trade union that filed the complaint, Building and Wood Workers' International, claims that these violations amount to an "epidemic of abuses" and are evidence of forced labor. This comes as Saudi Arabia is set to host the 2034 World Cup, with FIFA facing calls to bar the country as the tournament's host if it fails to comply with human rights obligations. Organizations such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International are supporting the complaint and calling on FIFA to demand binding human rights agreements before awarding the World Cup to Saudi Arabia. The complaint is similar to one filed against Qatar in 2014, which led to labor law reforms. Saudi Arabia, like Qatar, relies heavily on migrant workers, and the complaint suggests that abuse remains widespread despite recent labor reforms. FIFA and Saudi authorities have been approached for comment.
