Yesterday’s announcement that UNESCO’s board had approved a $3 million award in life sciences research funded by Equatorial Guinea raised eyebrows in the human rights community. The decision to approve the prize puts Equatorial Guinean President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo’s interests “above UNESCO’s basic principles of human rights and good governance,” said a statement issued by seven civil society groups, including: Human Rights Watch, Global Witness and the Committee to Protect Journalists.

“Whether it’s ever awarded or not, the vote in favor of a US$3 million international prize for life science sponsored by a government that fails to invest sufficiently in basic health care at home is a cruel joke,” said Tutu Alicante, an Equatorial Guinean lawyer who runs the human rights group EG Justice from exile. “The UNESCO board members who backed this prize have sold out the organization’s principles and have tarnished UNESCO’s reputation.”

But the process of defending Obiang’s public image rests solidly on the shoulders of Qorvis Communications, a Washington based PR, communications and lobbying firm which, for a hefty $60,000 per month retainer (plus expenses), has been working overtime since May 2010 to portray the Equatorial Guinean president as a human rights-minded political reformer.

A December 2011 Qorvis Federal Agent Registration Act (FARA) filing [PDF] details the extensive PR blitz conducted on behalf of Obiang. Among other activities, Qorvis made an active outreach effort to major media outlets over the past year:

But Qorvis didn’t just try to influence the news coverage of the NYT, AP, CNBC, and Washington Post. They also produced their own press releases to put a positive spin on Equatorial Guinea’s notoriously corrupt government. Qorvis, in their FARA filing, takes credit for nearly 40 press releases [PDF] touting Obiang’s supposed democratic reforms and humanitarian projects in Equtorial Guinea. Press releases issued by Qorvis included: “President Obiang Improves Equatorial Guinea’s Political System;” “President Obiang Urges Unity And Solidarity In Africa;” “Obiang Reveals Plans For Nationwide Electrification;” “President Obiang Stumps for Constitutional Reforms;” Obiang Calls For Economic Development As Key To Democracy In Africa;” and “Equatorial Guinea Launches National Campaign for Constitutional Reforms.”

Reading Qorvis’ press releases, it’s hard to believe that Equatorial Guinea holds the distinction of ranking among the “worst of the worst” in Freedom House’s survey of political and civil rights [PDF], or that Reporters Without Borders labeled Obiang a “predator” of press freedom. But Qorvis, which also represents human rights offenders like Fiji’s military government, and the kingdoms of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, appears to be in the business of whitewashing the records of human rights abusers, for the right price.

In response to our post, Qorvis Partner Greg Lagana issued the following written statement:

The government of Equatorial Guinea is very aware of criticism over conditions in the country. While it recognizes that many criticisms made against it are legitimate, it believes that its efforts to improve the situation in the country have gone unrecognized. Those efforts include an ambitious infrastructure-development program, the establishment of an ICRC presence in the country to help improve law enforcement and corrections, and efforts to develop human capital through improvements in the education system and use of international exchanges. They have asked Qorvis to help them tell a more complete story.

As for the UNESCO prize, the government of Equatorial Guinea made an offer to fund a prize to promote study of life sciences in Africa. This is consistent with its policy of using some of its income to support international humanitarian causes. When objections arose over the name of the prize, President Obiang agreed to withdraw his name. His position is that he conceived of the prize to encourage scientific research, not to memorialize himself, and that his commitment to promote scientific research in Africa through UNESCO has not wavered through this process.

All communications products that Qorvis Communications develops for the government of Equatorial Guinea are clearly identified as produced by Qorvis.

Risking her life of comfort and stature by her own admission, Princess Basma Bint Saud Bin Abdul Aziz, a Saudi royal living in London, made bold calls for reform in her country during a wide-ranging interview with the U.K.’s Independent newspaper. The rare criticism from inside the royal family — and by a woman from a nation with pervasive gender issues, to boot — came from the youngest child of the country’s second king, Saud.

While avoiding direct criticisms of her uncle King Abdullah, Saudi Arabia’s current ruler, the 47-year-old Basma blamed ministers for incompetence and lamented lack of accountability for the wealthy. She reserved her sharpest criticisms for the Saudi religious police — officially the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vices, but known as the mutawa. She blamed them for sectarianism, sexism, and labeled them “dangerous” for society:

This is the atmosphere you have now. It is such a non-tolerant atmosphere, even of other sects.…

Our religious police has the most dangerous effect on society – the segregation of genders, putting the wrong ideas in the heads of men and women, producing psychological diseases that never existed in our country before, like fanaticism. The mutawa are everywhere, trying to lead society to a very virtuous life that doesn’t exist. Everything is now behind closed doors.

Basma is no stranger to criticizing the ills of the country her family rules as an absolute monarchy. In July, she called this year’s Saudi invasion and repression of Shia-dominated pro-democracy protests in Bahrain a “faux pas” while talking with the BBC. The divorcée and business woman told the Independent she recently faced pressure to self-censor her writings, which deal with issues such as poverty and women’s rights.

Basma said the recent campaign by Saudi women to win the right to drive — which has won international plaudits but met opposition from Saudi religious authorities — did not go far enough. “Why don’t we actually fight for a woman’s right even to complain about being beaten up,” she said. “That is more important than driving.” (HT: Sultan Al Qassemi)

A group of academics from a Saudi Arabian religious council warned that, should women in the repressive monarchy be allowed to legally drive cars, the country would see a rapid “moral decline.”

The religious scholars are from Saudi Arabia’s top institution of religious study and worked with a university professor to draft a report on the potential impact of women drivers. The group said women drivers would lead to a “surge in prostitution, pornography, homosexuality and divorce,” and complained that, after ten years of women driving, there would be “no more virgins” in the kingdom. The report was prepared for and delivered to Saudia Arabia’s unelected advisory Shura Council, which holds no power in the country’s absolute monarchy.

Global Post highlighted an anecdote from the report that dealt with the personal experience of one its authors:

In the report Prof Subhi described sitting in a coffee shop in an unnamed Arab state where “all the women were looking at me“.

“One made a gesture that made it clear that she was available,” he said. “This is what happens when women are allowed to drive.”

This summer, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton praised a civil disobedience protest movement of women drivers and a group of U.S. Senators asked the king to overturn the ban. This fall, one of the demonstrators was sentenced to 10 lashes for driving, though the sentence was overturned by the King under pressure.

Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world that bans women drivers, leaving one wondering why there have not been more news reports on how it’s the only country left with virgins. (HT: Sarah Wildman)