Greenpeace to appeal Spain-Saudi arms deal confidentiality

MADRID (AP) — Greenpeace says it will appeal a Spanish Supreme Court decision blocking public access on national security grounds to government export licenses for vehicle-mounted weapons systems sold to Saudi Arabia. The Spanish arm of the global environmental and human rights group asked the trade ministry in 2020 for copies of recent licenses for the Spanish-made Alakran 120 mm mortar system, and was denied. The Supreme Court upheld the ministry’s decision on Feb. 7, arguing that the NGO had not demonstrated sufficient public interest to warrant declassifying the license details. Greenpeace says that the weapon developed by the Madrid-based company NTGS has endangered civilian lives in Yemen. Spanish law prohibits weapons export licensing where human rights would be violated.