The programme was broadcast last night and drew a huge reaction online.
Many social media users expressed shock at what was shown in the programme, highlighting the treatment of women and schools indoctrinating young students with Islamic extremist views.
Many Twitter users drew attention to the fact that Saudi Arabia is one of the United States and Britain's closest allies in the region.
Every politician needs to watch #SaudiArabiaUncovered on @ITV. Teaching their kids we should all be beheaded, some allies! @Number10govโ Mark McAndrew (@markmcan) March 22, 2016
Watching "Saudi Arabia uncovered" at the moment, and truly shocked, I cannot believe what I am seeing.... #outrageous #saudiarabiauncovered โ Martyn Underhill (@Vote4DorsetPCC) March 22, 2016
Ashamed and appalled that the UK has such close ties with such an extremist authoritarian regime @David_Cameron #SaudiArabiauncovered โ Ali Khadr (@AliKhadr_) March 22, 2016
We sell arms to this horrible regime and Cameron supported them to become a member of the UN Human Rights Council. #SaudiArabiaUncovered
โ Andrew Tithecott (@a_tithecott) March 22, 2016
Footage for the programme was shot covertly, as media access in Saudi Arabia heavily restricted.
In the documentary, a joint production between ITV and the Public Broadcasting Service in the United States, a number of graphic images of public hangings and beheadings were shown.
At one point five bodies, understood to be those of a group of thieves, are seen being hung from a pole being held up between two cranes.
At another point a woman is shown being beheaded in public.
In a statement responding to the documentary, the British government has said:
The Government has to take decisions about how best to keep our country safe. The Prime Minister's judgement is that a strong relationship with Saudi Arabia helps us to do that. Our collaboration has foiled terrorist attacks, directly saving British lives.
We should not ignore Saudi Arabia's important contributions to regional stability including airstrikes against Daesh and speaking out against the group's murderous ideology.It went on to say that in the course of Britain's relationship with Saudi Arabia it has raised the issue of human rights.
The commentaries below the video on youtube were interesting.
Most people say the document is biased (well, in my opinion the tone and effects speak for themselves : sensationalism), and that it is propaganda from the west in order to justify war against the rising orient. Right.
A link is given by an internaut, Saleh Sogati, which leads toward the blog of the driving woman. She says that the document depict Saudi Arabia in a bad way and that it exposes her again to more shaming pointing finger from her saudi fellows while all she was willing to do was to promote her movement for the rights of women.
In the end I just want to say that this document is just a weird advertisement going in the sense of human rights lobbies... masons. Choose your bad guys if you will... i am on the sides of none.