Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini
The EU reiterated on Wednesday its call for a “credible and transparent” investigation into the case of slain Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
“We have asked and expect that Saudi Arabia cooperates on a thorough, credible and transparent investigation and we insist on the need for clarity on the circumstances of his death and full accountability of all those responsible for it,” the bloc’s Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini said on behalf of the EU.
In a statement marking the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists, Mogherini said: “We pay tribute to all those journalists around the world who lost their lives and suffered attacks in the exercise of their profession.
“We also pay tribute to all those brave journalists who are taking up the work of their colleagues who can no longer pursue their investigations.”
She went onto say that without a “free, diverse and independent media” democracy could not live.
A group of Republican senators asked U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday to suspend civilian nuclear talks with Saudi Arabia after the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi and Saudi actions in Yemen and Lebanon.The five U.S. lawmakers, led by Senator Marco Rubio, said they would use the Atomic Energy Act to block any U.S.-Saudi nuclear agreements if Trump did not cut off talks."The ongoing revelations about the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, as well as certain Saudi actions related to Yemen and Lebanon, have raised further serious concerns about the transparency, accountability, and judgment of current decision makers in Saudi Arabia," the senators wrote.Saudi prosecutor completes inspections in Turkey, heads to airport"We therefore request that you suspend any related negotiations for a U.S.-Saudi civil nuclear agreement for the foreseeable future," said the lawmakers, who included senators Cory Gardner, Rand Paul, Dean Heller and Todd Young.Representatives for the White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the letter, which was first reported by NBC News.Khashoggi, a leading critic of Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, disappeared after visiting the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2. The death of the Washington Post columnist, a U.S. resident who had American children, sparked global outrage and pitched the world's top oil exporter into crisis.French foreign minister says sanctions against Saudi Arabia possibleThe United States has called for transparency in the investigation of Khashoggi's death and revoked the U.S. visas of some Saudis over the incident. Trump has said Prince Mohammed bore ultimate responsibility for what happened to Khashoggi but has also cited Riyadh as a strong ally.U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defense Secretary James Mattis on Tuesday called for a cessation of hostilities in Yemen and urged the start of U.N.-led negotiations to end the civil war next month.Saudi Arabia's official comments on Khashoggi's death have shifted from initially denying any involvement to saying the killing was premeditated. Both Saudi Arabia and Turkey are investigating Khashoggi's death. Saudi prosecutor discusses Khashoggi case with Turkish intelligenceUN calls for impartial probe into Khashoggi’s killing
Republican senators urge Trump to suspend nuclear talks with Saudi Arabia
“The assassinations of investigative journalists Daphne Caruana Galizia and Jan Kuciak in the EU, demonstrate that no region of the world is immune to this,” she added.
Galizia was killed in Malta in October 2017 and Kuciak in Slovakia in February 2018 as both of them were investigating high-level corruption cases in their countries.
Mogherini urged that those crimes needed to be thoroughly investigated as well as the case for killing of Khashoggi.
Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist and columnist for The Washington Post, went missing after entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2.
After initially saying he had left the consulate alive, the Saudi administration admitted weeks later he had died there.
The murder of slain journalist Jamal Khashoggi was pre-planned and his body parts were disposed of after being dismembered, the office of the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor said on Wednesday.Saudi authorities did not make any statements regarding the local collaborator in the Khashoggi murder, the office said in a statement.Khashoggi was suffocated immediately after entering Saudi Arabia's consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2, the statement added, as it reiterated a request for the extradition of suspects arrested by Saudi Arabia in the case of the brutal murder.In a statement issued after two days of talks with Saudi Arabia's public prosecutor Saud al-Mojeb, it also said no concrete results were reached in those meetings but that Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor İrfan Fidan was invited to Saudi Arabia as part of the probe.Republican senators urge Trump to suspend nuclear talks with Saudi Arabia"Despite our well-intentioned efforts to reveal the truth, no concrete results have come out of those meetings," the Istanbul prosecutor's office said.Fidan asked Mojeb about the location of Khashoggi’s body, and whether the Saudi investigation had reached any findings regarding plans to kill Khashoggi.Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist and columnist for The Washington Post, went missing after entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2.After initially saying he had left the consulate alive, the Saudi administration admitted weeks later he had died there.Investigation of the incident suggests a special hit squad came to the consulate to kill Kashoggi and cover up the murderThe international community refused to accept the Saudi claim that the incident was not a premeditated murder.Cadaver dog used to search Saudi consulate denied entry into consul-general’s residenceSaudi prosecutor completes inspections in Turkey, heads to airport
Khashoggi's body parts were disposed of after being dismembered: Turkish prosecutor
Investigation of the incident suggests a special hit squad came to the consulate to kill Kashoggi and cover up the murder
The international community refused to accept the Saudi claim that the incident was not a premeditated murder.
Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stressed that all details of the case should be revealed, including who gave the instruction for the “premeditated murder.”
U.S. President Donald Trump said he could impose sanctions on Saudi Arabia, but also signaled that he did not want to harm bilateral relations.
Telephoning Erdogan, Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman promised necessary cooperation. The chief prosecutor's office in Riyadh also announced that the murder was planned.