Saudi Arabia’s King Salman has ordered protection for employees who report financial and administrative corruption, according to reports, an indication that the Kingdom is taking seriously its efforts to combat graft.
King Salman’s order is an “interim measure while more detailed legislation is finalized,” according to Faisal bin Farhan, the top advisor to the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Washington, D.C. “Protecting whistleblowers is an important part of the drive to fight corruption in the Kingdom.”
Whistleblower laws in place in other countries help to guarantee protection to individuals who see graft, corruption, unlawful mismanagement, or unfair labor practices and report it. All U.S. federal agencies are protected by the Whistleblower Protection Act, passed in 1989.
King Salman’s weekend order adds weight to the ongoing corruption purge being spearheaded by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the King’s son and heir apparent.
