'Free speech absolutist' Elon Musk 'in early talks' to open Tesla factory in ... trends now

View
comments

Self-proclaimed 'free speech absolutist' Elon Musk is in talks to open a Tesla factory in Saudi Arabia - which is still killing citizens for negative tweets about the Kingdom. 

A deal with the Saudis could help Musk achieve his ambitious goal of selling 20million vehicles a year by 2030 - up from just 1.3million sold in 2022.

The move is part of an ambitious push by the kingdom to diversify its economy away from oil and secure metals needed to make electric cars.

But it comes amid a series of high-profile human rights abuses by the authoritative regime in Saudi Arabia, which has been cracking down increasingly hard on peaceful dissent.

Last month, a court sentenced a retired Saudi teacher to death over a series of tweets that were critical of the regime.