{"id":241530,"date":"2021-02-26T12:00:18","date_gmt":"2021-02-26T11:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.npwj.org\/?p=241530"},"modified":"2023-04-08T10:48:33","modified_gmt":"2023-04-08T08:48:33","slug":"jamal-khashoggis-murder-how-much-longer-will-mbs-benefit-from-the-impunity-he-enjoyed-so-far","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.npwj.org\/it\/press-release\/jamal-khashoggis-murder-how-much-longer-will-mbs-benefit-from-the-impunity-he-enjoyed-so-far\/","title":{"rendered":"Jamal Khashoggi\u2019s murder: how much longer will MBS benefit from the impunity he enjoyed so far?"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

Brussels-Rome, 26 February 2021<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

No Peace Without Justice (NPWJ) welcomes today\u2019s public release of the\u00a0US National Intelligence report<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0revealing the clear evidence of the direct implication of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS) for ordering and planning the gruesome killing of journalist Jamal\u00a0Khashoggi,\u00a0inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018. This report further confirms the significant evidence already\u00a0documented by the by UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Executions<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0Agn\u00e8s Callamard. We welcome the apparent intention on the part of the new American administration to shift gears on the relations developed between the previous administration and the Saudi Kingdom, as demonstrated through the disclosure of this report, which had been kept classified for over two years.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

The outrageous murder of Jamal Kashoggi, who had simply been exercising his right to freedom of speech, is an open wound on humanity\u2019s collective conscience. Since 2018, Saudi Arabia has repeatedly attempted to cover up the truth and omitted or obstructed adequate justice for what was perpetrated, including through a sham trial against the immediate perpetrators of the crime that raised serious concerns about the independence and fairness of the Saudi judicial system.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Now that the evidence of his direct responsibility has been made public and officially acknowledged by the US administration, NPWJ looks forward to seeing MBS held accountable for instigating this atrocious \u201cstate crime\u201d and not rewarded with the impunity from which he benefited so far with the complicity of \u201crealpolitik\u201d. As\u00a0pointed out by Hatice Cengiz \u2013\u00a0the fianc\u00e9e of Jamal Khashoggi who has been fighting for two years, with NPWJ at her side, so that this assassination does not go unpunished \u2013 giving further moral leeway to the current Saudi administration, whose responsibility in Jamal\u2019s murder is undeniable, is not an option anymore, if it ever was.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Moreover, fighting against impunity for the murder of Jamal also means not legitimising the model of widespread repression against independent or dissident voices (human rights defenders and activists, women, lawyers, journalists, writers and bloggers) that has intensified since MBS came to power in June 2017,\u00a0as well as the fateful if not ill-omened role played by KSA at the reghional and international level.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

It is way past time for the international community, and the European Union in particular, to act in a manner that is coherent with the principles and values they claim to defend. They must reconsider, at a fundamental level, their relationship with a leadership whose behaviour resembles that of a rogue regime. This means concrete actions such as the introduction of targeted sanctions towards key officials of the Kingdom of\u00a0Saudi Arabia directly involved in the assassination of Jamal Khashogghi,\u00a0as well as stopping arms sales to a country known for his blatant disrespect of human rights.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

For further information<\/strong>, contact Nicola Giovannini, Press & Public Affairs Coordinator, on\u00a0ngiovannini@npwj.org<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0org.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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