 During the meeting, the Saudi government's detainment of human rights activist Raif Badawi was brought up.Following the 2016 Saudi Arabia mass execution in which 47 civilians convicted of terrorism were executed, Stéphane Dion requested that Saudi Arabia respect due process and to follow international norms in regards to human rights.The Canadian Foreign Ministry also voiced concerns over the possibility that these executions could renew sectarian friction in the Middle East.