标签： Asia

In a landmark ruling with significant implications for state accountability, the English High Court has mandated the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to pay over £3 million in damages to a London-based dissident. The court conclusively determined that Saudi authorities were responsible for infecting the activist’s phone with Pegasus spyware and orchestrating a physical assault against him.

The judgment, delivered by Judge Pushpinder Saini, found Ghanem al-Masarir—a former Saudi citizen and prominent human rights campaigner—entitled to substantial compensation for severe psychiatric injuries. These injuries stemmed from the 2018 hacking of his phone using the notorious Pegasus surveillance tool, acquired from the Israeli cyber-arms firm NSO Group, and a coordinated physical attack outside Harrods department store in London that same year.

Judge Saini’s ruling emphasized a clear pattern of intimidation against Masarir between 2015 and 2019, directly linking these acts to the Saudi state’s motivation to silence his public criticism. The court rejected Saudi Arabia’s initial claim of state immunity under the 1978 State Immunity Act, a defense that was ultimately dismissed in 2022. A subsequent appeal by the kingdom was struck out in 2024 after it failed to pay court costs.

The Pegasus software, as detailed in proceedings, grants remote access to an infected device, enabling data extraction, location tracking, and the interception of calls and ambient communications. The court found no legal justification for this invasive surveillance or the physical violence inflicted upon Masarir, who was exercising his fundamental right to free speech.

Masarir, who has lived in the UK since 2003 and was granted asylum in 2018, expressed that the ruling closes a ‘long and painful chapter.’ His YouTube channel, which has garnered over 300 million views, has been a primary platform for his advocacy. While acknowledging that no financial sum can undo his suffering, he expressed hope that Saudi Arabia would comply with the judgment promptly.

The case sets a powerful precedent. Yahya Assiri, another UK-based Saudi dissident and founder of the rights group Alqst whose phone was also hacked, hailed the verdict as a victory for all human rights defenders. This ruling occurs against a backdrop of wider concerns, following a 2021 investigation that revealed hundreds of British citizens, including lawyers and academics, had been targeted by Pegasus spyware, with accusations pointing to both the UAE and Saudi Arabian governments.

In a significant escalation of trade policy, former US President Donald Trump has declared a substantial increase in tariffs on South Korean imports, raising them to 25%. The announcement was made via social media, where Trump accused Seoul of failing to uphold commitments under a bilateral trade agreement finalized last October.

The tariff hike affects a broad range of products, including automobiles, lumber, pharmaceuticals, and various other goods subject to reciprocal tariffs. Trump justified the move by stating that South Korean lawmakers had been ‘slow to approve the deal,’ contrasting it with what he described as swift US action to reduce its own tariffs in accordance with the agreement.

South Korea has responded with concern, indicating it had not received official notification of the tariff decision and is seeking urgent discussions with Washington. The country’s Industry Minister, Kim Jung-kwan, is reportedly cutting short a trip to Canada to arrange immediate talks with US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.

The contentious trade deal, reached in October, included a significant pledge from South Korea to invest approximately $350 billion in the United States, with portions directed toward the shipbuilding sector. Subsequent negotiations in November established that the US would reduce certain tariffs once South Korea initiated its domestic approval process. The agreement was submitted to South Korea’s National Assembly on November 26 and is currently under review, with local media projecting likely passage in February.

This development represents another instance of Trump utilizing tariffs as a primary instrument of foreign policy during his second term. The move follows recent threats against Canada, where Trump warned of 100% tariffs if Ottawa pursued a trade agreement with China. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has since clarified that no such deal with China is under consideration, with Canadian officials reportedly communicating this position to their US counterparts.

The tariff strategy echoes previous confrontational approaches, including Trump’s earlier threats against eight countries, including the UK, regarding their opposition to US interests in Greenland. While those particular tariff threats were eventually withdrawn citing progress toward a ‘future deal,’ the episodes have contributed to strains in US relations with NATO allies and trading partners.

China’s military command structure faces unprecedented turmoil following the dramatic removal of two top generals from the Central Military Commission (CMC), raising serious questions about leadership stability and combat readiness.

General Zhang Youxia, 75, formerly vice-chairman of the powerful CMC, and General Liu Zhenli have been placed under investigation for “serious violations of discipline and law”—the Communist Party’s standard euphemism for corruption allegations. This development has reduced the CMC’s membership to just two individuals: President Xi Jinping himself and General Zhang Shengmin.

The sweeping purge represents the most significant shakeup in China’s military leadership in recent history. The CMC, typically comprising approximately seven members, exercises ultimate control over the People’s Liberation Army’s millions of personnel. Its authority is so considerable that former leader Deng Xiaoping maintained his grip on power primarily through his chairmanship of this body.

Lyle Morris of the Asia Society Policy Institute characterized the situation as unprecedented, stating, “The PLA is in disarray” and facing “a major leadership void.” The removal of Zhang Youxia carries particular significance given his combat experience and longstanding personal connection to Xi—his father fought alongside Xi’s father during China’s revolutionary period.

While official channels attribute the dismissals to corruption investigations, analysts suggest broader political motivations may be at play. Associate Professor Chong Ja Ian from the National University of Singapore noted widespread speculation ranging from leaked nuclear secrets to coup plotting and even rumors of armed confrontation in Beijing.

The PLA Daily editorialized strongly on the matter, emphasizing the party’s “zero tolerance” approach to corruption regardless of position or status. Historical precedent suggests that officials once placed under investigation almost invariably face custodial sentences.

This leadership crisis emerges amid heightened tensions regarding Taiwan, with Beijing increasingly threatening military action against the self-governing island. Analysts diverge on how the purge might affect China’s operational capabilities, though most agree it centralizes decision-making further around Xi personally.

The ongoing turmoil creates a climate of suspicion within military ranks, potentially affecting operational decision-making and creating reluctance among mid-ranking officers to advance into positions now perceived as dangerously exposed to political scrutiny.