Jamal Khashoggi murder , CD3 DFL

Media advocacy group accuses Saudi crown prince, aides of crimes against humanity in Khashoggi death

A media advocacy group has filed a criminal complaint with a German prosecutor alleging that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and top aides committed crimes against humanity in the killing of Washington Post contributing columnist Jamal Khashoggi.

The submission by Paris-based Reporters Without Borders also alleges that Saudi officials are responsible for “widespread and systematic” persecution of journalists in the kingdom, citing what it characterizes as the arbitrary detention of more than 30 journalists.

The other officials named in the complaint include Saud al-Qahtani, a top aide to the crown prince, and Maj. Gen. Ahmed al-Assiri, a former deputy intelligence chief. Both men are accused of “organizational or executive responsibility” in the death of Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist and U.S. resident who was killed inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul in October 2018. Continue reading.

Trump defended Saudi journalist’s murder to distract from Ivanka’s ‘disturbing’ emails: Bolton book

President Donald Trump wrote a statement defending Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman after the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi in order to distract from his daughter’s personal email scandal, according to former national security adviser John Bolton.

Trump, who repeatedly excoriated former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for her use of a private email server, sought to use the 2018 killing to divert attention from reports that Ivanka Trump had sent hundreds of emails to White House aides and Cabinet officials using a personal email account in violation of federal records rules, Bolton’s new book claims.

“This will divert from Ivanka,” Trump said at the time, according to an excerpt from the book published by The Washington Post. “If I read the statement in person, that will take over the Ivanka thing.” Continue reading.

Trump says he is ‘very angry’ over murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi but again defends Saudi crown prince in the case

OSAKA, Japan — President Trump on Saturday professed to be “very angry” over the murder last year of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi at a Saudi consulate, but the president again declined to pin responsibility on Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whom he called “my friend.”

Trump said nothing about Khashoggi at a photo op Salman before their meeting on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit here, ignoring shouted questions about the matter from reporters. In brief remarks, Trump called it a “great honor” to be with the crown prince and noted that “Saudi Arabia is a good purchaser of American products.” Salman returned the compliment.

But asked at a news conference later in the day whether he raised the issue with Salman privately, Trump said Riyadh has prosecuted “13 people” in connection with Khashoggi’s death and suggested more prosecutions were coming.

View the complete June 28 article by david Nakamura and Seung Min Kim on The Washington Post website here.

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: