Hong Kong police have used UK-made tear gas against pro-democracy campaigners, and the UK College of Policing provided training for forces in Hong Kong.
The Bahri Yanbu, which is due to reach Tilbury Docks on 7 February, has previously ferried tens of millions of pounds’ worth of arms to the war in Yemen.
Lawyers representing Campaign Against Arms Trade have called on the UK Government to end all extant licences for arms exports to Saudi Arabia and to refuse all future licences following war crime allegations.
Campaigners argued that the decision to grant export licences is unlawful as there is a clear risk arms might be used in a serious violation of International Humanitarian Law.
Human Rights Watch has accused the Bahraini authorities of torture, arbitrary citizenship revocations, and the intimidation and abuse of human rights campaigners.