UN report blames Saudi Arabia for Khashoggi’s murder. What next?
Al JazeeraUN expert says there is credible evidence linking MBS to journalist’s killing and calls for comprehensive inquiry. The recordings and other evidence collected during a six-month investigation showed Khashoggi’s death on October 2 last year was “planned” and “premeditated”, said Agnes Callamard, the UN special rapporteur for extrajudicial, summary and arbitrary executions. Hours after the release of the report, Saudi Arabia dismissed Callamard’s findings as “nothing new” and “baseless”. But Saudi Arabia sits on the body and may be able to stop other countries from launching an inquiry.” Calling the Callamard investigation “remarkable in its specifics”, Bryza added: “These shocking and horrific details make the Saudi government’s claim this was an interrogation that went off the rails seem absurd and impossible to be true … an impartial UN investigation is required.” But for that to happen, a change in the US government’s approach was needed, he said. “They want those who are very close to Saudi Arabia, like Trump’s administration, the United Kingdom, France and Germany – who already have lots of arms deals between them and Saudi Arabia – to stand up and say Western democracies do not value arms deals and investments with Saudi Arabia over the human rights and journalist crimes.” Turkey will want to mobilise as many countries as it can for “momentum”, he said.