A U.N. human rights expert investigating the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi wants the possible role of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to be officially examined, citing “credible evidence.”
Agnes Callamard released a 101-page report into the October killing of Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul that lays out dozens of recommendations. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has been called upon to “demand” a follow-up criminal investigation.
Callamard noted the “extreme sensitivity” of considering the criminal responsibility of the crown prince, as well as Saud Alqahtani, a senior adviser to the Saudi royal court who has escaped any accusations of complicity.
“No conclusion is made as to guilt,” she wrote of the two men. “The only conclusion made is that there is credible evidence meriting further investigation.”
She also called on the FBI in the United States, where Khashoggi was a resident, to open an investigation into the case, if it has not already done so, “and pursue criminal prosecutions within the United States, as appropriate.”
There was no immediate reaction from Saudi Arabia but the kingdom has regularly denied accusations that the prince was involved.
Mr Khashoggi, a critic of the prince and sometime Washington Post columnist, was last seen at the Saudi consulate on 2 October, 2018, where he was due to receive travel papers ahead of his wedding.
His body was dismembered and removed from the building, the Saudi prosecutor has said, and his remains have not been found.
AP contributed to this report
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.