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Tag: Khashoggi

  • Saudi crown prince killed Khashoggi – UN investigator alleges

    An independent United Nations rights expert says there is “credible evidence” suggesting Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and other senior Saudi officials are liable for the murder of prominent journalist Jamal Khashoggi last October.

    “It is the conclusion of the Special Rapporteur that Mr. Khashoggi has been the victim of a deliberate, premeditated execution, an extrajudicial killing for which the state of Saudi Arabia is responsible under international human rights law,” UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions Agnes Callamard said in her report on Wednesday based on a six-month investigation.

    “There is credible evidence, warranting further investigation of high-level Saudi officials’ individual liability, including the crown prince’s,” she said.

    “Indeed, this human rights inquiry has shown that there is sufficient credible evidence regarding the responsibility of the crown prince demanding further investigation,” Callamard added, urging UN Secretary-General António Guterres to establish an international probe.

    The probes conducted so far by Saudi Arabia and Turkey, she noted, have “failed to meet international standards regarding the investigation into unlawful deaths.”

    Callamard further highlighted that an official international criminal investigation into Khashoggi’s murder would make it possible to “build up strong files on each of the alleged perpetrators and identify mechanisms for formal accountability, such as an ad hoc or hybrid tribunal.”

    She also called on the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the United States, where Khashoggi was a resident, to probe the case, if it has not already done so, “and pursue criminal prosecutions within the United States, as appropriate.”

    US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner has reportedly called slain Saudi dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi a “terrorist.”

    Callamard went on to say that she had viewed CCTV footage from inside the consulate for her investigation.

    Her report also found that there was evidence that “Saudi Arabia deliberately used consular immunity to stall Turkey’s investigations until the crime scene could be thoroughly cleaned.”

    “In view of my concerns regarding the fairness of the trial of the 11 suspects in Saudi Arabia, I call for the suspension of the trial,” Callamard said in the report.

    On Twitter, Khashoggi’s elder son denied being in talks to reach a settlement with Saudi authorities.

    Moreover, the report identified by name the 15 people who were part of the mission to kill Khashoggi.

    It also suggested that many of them were not on the list of 11 unnamed suspects facing a closed-door trial over the murder.

    Khashoggi, a Washington Post contributor and critic of the Saudi crown prince, was murdered at the Saudi consulate in Turkey’s largest city of Istanbul on October 2, 2018.

    Riyadh initially said it had no knowledge of his fate but later blamed the murder on rogue agents.

  • Khashoggi’s death: Saudi demands death sentence against five suspects

    Saudi Arabia’s Public Prosecutors on Thursday demanded capital punishment against five out of 11 suspects over the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Saudi Press Agency reported.

    The Saudi attorney general highlighted in a statement that the demand was made during the first hearing of the case at the criminal court held in Riyadh.

    He said that the Public Prosecutors requested death sentence of the five over the involvement in the murder, adding that all the 11 suspects attended the hearing with their lawyers.

    The attorney general also revealed that the Public Prosecutors had waited until now to get information about the case from its Turkish counterpart.

    Khashoggi was murdered inside the Saudi consulate in Turkey on Oct. 2, 2018 and a number of top Saudi officials were arrested in connection with the case.

    The Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud ordered to restructure the intelligence authority.

  • Saudi prosecutor reveals who gave order for Khashoggi’s killing

    Saudi Arabia’s public prosecutor said on Thursday the person who ordered the killing of prominent journalist Jamal Khashoggi was the head of the negotiating team sent to repatriate him

    The prosecutor, Shaalan al-Shaalan, also said the whereabouts of Mr Khashoggi’s body remained unknown.

    The prosecutor told reporters in Riyadh that investigations were still ongoing to locate the remains of the slain journalist.

    The public prosecutor had earlier said he was seeking the death penalty for five out of 11 suspects charged with the murder of Mr Khashoggi.

    He said 11 out of 21 suspects had been indicted and that their cases would be referred to court, while the investigation with the remaining suspects would continue in order to determine their role in the crime.

    Mr Khashoggi, a critic of Saudi policy, was killed in the country’s Istanbul consulate in Turkey on October 2.

    He was killed after a struggle by a lethal injection dose and his body was dismembered and taken out of the building, Mr Shaalan told reporters in Riyadh.

    Riyadh had offered numerous contradictory explanations for Khashoggi’s disappearance before saying he was killed in a rogue operation.

    The case sparked global outcry, opened the kingdom to possible international sanctions and tarnished the image of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

    Turkish officials had accused Prince Mohammed of ordering the murder while President Erdogan said the killing was ordered at the “highest levels” of the Saudi government.

    U.S. President Donald Trump had suggested ultimate responsibility lay with the prince as de facto ruler.

    A travel ban had been imposed on a top aide to the crown prince, Saud al-Qahtani, while investigations continued over his role, Mr Shaalan said.

    He said Mr Qahtani had met the team ordered to repatriate Mr Kashoggi ahead of their journey to Istanbul to brief them on the journalist’s activities.

    Mr Qahtani has already been fired from the royal court.

    Turkey says it has a recording related to the killing which it has shared with Western allies.

    President Tayyip Erdogan said the recordings are “appalling” and shocked a Saudi intelligence officer who listened to them.

  • Saudi prosecutor reveals who gave order for Khashoggi’s killing

    Saudi Arabia’s public prosecutor said on Thursday the person who had ordered the killing of prominent journalist Jamal Khashoggi was the head of the negotiating team sent to repatriate him

    The prosecutor, Shaalan al-Shaalan , also said that the whereabouts of Khashoggi’s body remained unknown.

    The prosecutor told reporters in Riyadh that investigations were still ongoing to locate the remains of the slain journalist.

    The public prosecutor had earlier said he was seeking the death penalty for five out of 11 suspects charged with the murder of Khashoggi.

    He said 11 out of 21 suspects had been indicted and that their cases would be referred to court, while the investigation with the remaining suspects would continue in order to determine their role in the crime.

    Khashoggi, a critic of Saudi policy, was killed in the country’s Istanbul consulate on Oct. 2.

    He was killed after a struggle by a lethal injection dose and his body was dismembered and taken out of the building, Shaalan told reporters in Riyadh.

    Riyadh had offered numerous contradictory explanations for Khashoggi’s disappearance before saying he was killed in a rogue operation.

    The case sparked global outcry, opened the kingdom to possible international sanctions and tarnished the image of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

    Turkish officials had accused Prince Mohammed of ordering the murder while President Erdogan said the killing was ordered at the “highest levels” of the Saudi government.

    U.S. President Donald Trump had suggested ultimate responsibility lay with the prince as de facto ruler.

    A travel ban had been imposed on a top aide to the crown prince, Saud al-Qahtani, while investigations continued over his role, Shaalan said.

    He said Qahtani had met the team ordered to repatriate Kashoggi ahead of their journey to Istanbul to brief them on the journalist’s activities.

    Qahtani has already been fired from the royal court.

    Turkey says it has a recording related to the killing which it has shared with Western allies.

    President Tayyip Erdogan said the recordings are “appalling” and shocked a Saudi intelligence officer who listened to them.

    Reuters/NAN

  • Khashoggi’s death: Amnesty International ‘begs’ AC Milan, Juventus FCs to shun Italian Super Cup in Saudi

    Sequel to the gruesome murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Amnesty International on Saturday urged football clubs AC Milan and Juventus to shun the Italian Super Cup scheduled to be hosted in Saudi Arabia in January.
     
    “Even before the horrific killing of Jamal Khashoggi, Saudi Arabia had a truly appalling human rights record,” said Allan Hogarth, Amnesty International UK’s head of policy.
     
    “Big clubs like Juventus and AC Milan need to understand that their participation in sporting events in the country could be used as a form of ‘sportswashing’,” Hogarth said.
     
    Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist critical of his government, was killed after entering his country’s Istanbul consulate on October 2 to obtain paperwork to marry his Turkish fiancee.
     
    “We’d urge these Italian clubs to think twice about the signal this sends out to sports fans across the world and the brave activists who stand up for human rights in Saudi Arabia,” Hogarth said.
     
    Gruesome reports have alleged that Khashoggi’s body was dismembered by a team sent from Saudi Arabia to silence the journalist, whose columns were frequently critical of powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
     
    The murder has dealt a serious blow to Saudi Arabia’s image, which Prince Mohammed has sought to improve since his appointment as heir to the throne last year. He has ended a ban on women driving and loosened other restrictions in the kingdom.
     
    The 2018/2019 Italian Super Cup is scheduled for January 2019 in the Saudi capital Riyadh, and pits last year’s Italian Cup winner — Juventus — against the runner-up, AC Milan.
     
     

  • Trump says Khashoggi murder 'worst cover-up in history'

    US President Donald Trump has said Saudi Arabia’s response to the murder of the dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi is “the worst cover-up ever”.
    Those behind the killing in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul three weeks ago “should be in big trouble”, he said.
    Shortly afterwards, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the US would “punish those responsible” and had revoked visas of 21 identified suspects.
    The Saudi government has blamed the murder on rogue agents.
    But President Erdogan of Turkey has said the journalist was the victim of a carefully planned “political murder” by Saudi intelligence officers and other officials.
    Speaking to reporters at the White House on Tuesday, Mr Trump said: “They had a very bad original concept, it was carried out poorly and the cover-up was the worst in the history of cover-ups.
    “Whoever thought of that idea, I think is in big trouble. And they should be in big trouble.”
    The Saudi government has provided conflicting accounts of what happened to Khashoggi, a US resident and Washington Post contributor. After weeks of maintaining he was still alive, senior officials now say the 59-year-old was murdered in a rogue operation after visiting the Saudi consulate in Turkey.
    In a speech to the European Parliament, Mr Tusk said he expected member states and institutions to avoid any “ambiguous game”.

  • Saudi must punish all Khashoggi’s ‘savage’ killers – Turkey demands

    Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday dismissed attempts by Riyadh to blame Jamal Khashoggi’s “savage” killing on rogue operatives.
    Erdogan also said that the person who ordered the death of the prominent Saudi journalist must “be brought to account”.
    Erdogan, in a speech to parliament about a case that has sparked outrage around the globe, did not mention Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who some U.S. lawmakers suspect ordered the killing.
    However, he said Turkey would not complete its investigation into Khashoggi’s death until all questions were answered and Turkey was told the identity of a local collaborator Riyadh says disposed of the body.
    “Intelligence and security institutions have evidence showing the murder was planned.
    “Pinning such a case on some security and intelligence members will not satisfy us or the international community.
    “The Saudi administration has taken an important step by admitting to the murder.
    “From now on, we expect them to uncover all those responsible for this matter from top to bottom and make them face the necessary punishments.
    “From the person who gave the order, to the person who carried it out, they must all be brought to account,” he said.
    A Saudi cabinet meeting chaired by King Salman said Riyadh would hold to account those responsible for the killing and those who failed in their duties, whoever they were.
    Erdogan said the whereabouts of Khashoggi’s body were still unknown and he demanded Saudi Arabia reveal the identity of a “local cooperator” who purportedly took the body.
    Erdogan’s speech coincided with the opening in Riyadh of an investment conference which Western political figures, leading international bankers and company executives boycotted because of the furor around Khashoggi’s death.
    Khashoggi, the Washington Post columnist, a sharp critic of the crown prince, the kingdom’s de facto ruler, disappeared few weeks ago after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to obtain documents for his upcoming marriage.
    Turkish officials suspected Khashoggi was killed and dismembered inside the consulate by Saudi agents.
    Turkish sources say authorities have an audio recording purportedly documenting the killing of the 59-year-old.
    However, Erdogan made no reference to any audio recording in his speech.
    Riyadh initially denied knowledge of his fate before saying he was killed in a fight in the consulate.
    That version of events was greeted skeptically by several Western governments, straining relations with the world’s biggest oil exporter.
    Erdogan said three operatives arrived in Istanbul the day before Khashoggi’s killing on an apparent reconnaissance mission.
    The next day 15 people came to the consulate, including security, intelligence and forensic experts, while consulate personnel were given the day off.
    “Why did these 15 people meet in Istanbul on the day of the murder? We are seeking answers to this. Who are these people receiving orders from?” Erdogan said.
    He added that he wanted Saudi Arabia to send the suspects to Turkey for trial.
    However, the White House and the U.S. Department of State did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Erdogan’s remarks.
    U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly played down any suggestion that the crown prince was involved in the killing however also warned of possible economic sanctions.
    Trump has also repeatedly highlighted the kingdom’s importance as a U.S. ally and said Prince Mohammed was a strong and passionate leader.
    For Saudi Arabia’s allies, the question will be whether they believe that Prince Mohammed, who has painted himself as a reformer, has any culpability.
    The media report said King Salman, 82, had handed the day-to-day running of Saudi Arabia to the 33-year-old prince.
    Reuters/NAN

  • Saudi Arabia finally admits Journalist, Khashoggi died in Istanbul consulate

    The United Nations and the United States have expressed shock at Saudi Arabia’s confirmation that journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed inside its Consulate in Istanbul after a fight.
    In a statement released by his Spokesperson in New York, the UN Secretary-General, Anthonio Guterres said that he was “deeply troubled” by the Saudi Arabia’s confirmation.
    After weeks of denials, Saudi Arabia has for the first time confirmed that Khashoggi was killed in a “fistfight” inside its consulate in the Turkish city of Istanbul.
    A tweet posted by the Saudi Foreign Ministry on Friday stated that the missing Saudi journalist, a columnist with the Washington Post newspaper, was killed, claims reportedly echoed on Saudi State Television and news agency.
    The tweet said that “discussions that took place with the citizen Jamal Khashoggi during his presence in the Consulate of the Kingdom in Istanbul…did not go as required and escalated negatively which led to a fight…which aggregated the situation and led to his death.”
    The Secretary-General said he was “deeply troubled by the confirmation of the death of Jamal Khashoggi and extends his condolences to Mr Khashoggi’s family and friends”.
    Guterres stressed the need for a prompt, thorough and transparent investigation into the circumstances of Khashoggi’s death and full accountability for those responsible.
    Saudi public prosecutor also announced on state television that a primary investigation into high-profile journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s disappearance had confirmed he was dead.
    The public prosecutor said: “The discussions between Jamal Khashoggi and those he met at the kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul … devolved into a fistfight, leading to his death.
    “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia expresses deep regret at the painful developments that have taken place in this case and affirms the commitment of the authorities in the Kingdom to bring the facts to the attention of the public and to hold accountable all those involved”.
    Guterres’s comments were the latest in a chorus of concern and condemnation over Khashoggi’s disappearance from UN officials and independent UN human rights experts.
    Over the last few days, statements regarding the Khashoggi disappearance had been released by the offices of UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet, the Chair of the UN Working Group on Enforced Disappearances, Bernard Duhaime, and the Chair of the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights, Dante Pesce.
    Earlier, White House Spokesperson Sarah Sanders said in a statement that Washington acknowledged Saudi Arabia’s announcement and was “closely” following the developments.
    “We will continue to closely follow the international investigations into this tragic incident and advocate for justice that is timely, transparent, and in accordance with all due process.
    “We are saddened to hear confirmation of Mr Khashoggi’s death, and we offer our deepest condolences to his family, fiancee, and friends,” Sanders said.
    U.S. President Donald Trump at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona that Saudi Arabia’s explanation for how Khashoggi was killed was credible, adding that what happened at the consulate is “unacceptable”.
    Trump said Khashoggi’s death was a “horrible event” that has not gone “unnoticed” but noted that the announcement on the circumstances of the journalist’s death was a “good first step”.
    “Saudi Arabia has been a great ally, but what happened is unacceptable,” Trump said, adding he prefers that any sanctions against Riyadh does not include cancelling big defence orders.
    The Saudi government said it arrested 18 Saudis as a result of the initial investigation and fired five top officials, including Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s adviser Saud al-Qahtani and deputy intelligence chief Maj.-Gen. Ahmed al-Assiri.
    Khashoggi, a critic of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, went missing on Oct. 2 after entering the consulate in Istanbul to obtain documents needed for his upcoming marriage.
    Saudi officials had previously denied Khashoggi had been killed and dismembered inside the diplomatic facility, insisting the journalist left the consulate before disappearing.