Last Updated on July 11, 2020, 8:28 AM AST by Anthony Morris
A United Nations official has said that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) was the prime suspect in the case of Jamal Khashoggi’s murder, Saudi journalist in Istanbul in the year 2018.
The UN Special Rapporteur on Arbitrary, Extrajudicial or Summary Execution, Agnes Callamard said in an interview with Anadolu Agency that even though she does not have evidence against the Crown Prince, but in terms of inciting and ordering the killing, he is the main suspect.
Callamard, who is also a renowned human rights lawyer, said that she thinks MBS is a prime suspect in terms of determining who incited or who ordered the killing. MBS is in the picture. Personally, she said that he does not have the evidence pointing to MBS as having ordered the murder.
She said that circumstantial evidence suggested that a crime of that nature could not have been committed without the contribution of MBS.
She added that she believes that according to the information which was provided more than over a year ago, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) might have this information.
She noted that Turkey’s trial is being held “in absentia” because everyone knows that Saudi Arabia would not allow the defendants to face the trial in Turkey.
Callamard said that she thinks that it is essential. She wanted to note that the defendants were represented, and also that they have been assigned, state-assigned lawyers.
Callamard added that the trial in Turkey is fairer than the trial conducted in Saudi Arabia.
A Turkish court began the trial of the case on July 3, listing the 20 Saudi nationals who were accused in the killing of Khashoggi in 2018.
Khashoggi was killed and dismembered by a group of Saudi operatives shortly after he entered the Saudi Consulate.
The body of Khashoggi was never found.
Heavy Penal Court No. 11 of Istanbul heard the arguments from Khashoggi’s fiancée and several other witnesses.
Anthony Morris covers stories related to politics and regional developments. His in-depth reporting about governance and reforms makes him stand out in regional journalism, with a deep analysis of political trends and their impact on Caribbean communities.
