Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman meeting with Jamal Khashoggi's sons Salah, left, and Sahel in Riyadh on Oct. 23, 2018.
The son of slain Washington Post columnist arrived in the U.S. after Saudi officials lifted his travel ban, according to the head of a prominent rights group.
Sarah Leah Whitson, the director of Human Rights Watch's Middle East North Africa division, said Salah bin Jamal Khashoggi and his family have left Riyadh.
"Too bad Salah had to endure that cruel and bizarre greeting with MBS first," she said on Twitter, referring to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, the person widely suspected of orchestrating the death of Jamal Khashoggi. Bin Salman has denied involvement.
Actress Scarlett Johansonn has reportedly rejected funding from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for an upcoming film.The actress was supposed to star in a movie about Pulitzer prize-winning photojournalist Lynsey Addario, which was going to be directed by Ridley Scott.In an interview with the New York Times, Addario said Johanson's call to reject funding was made before the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.Saudi officials last week said Khashoggi, a columnist for The Washington Post, was killed in a fist-fight at its consulate in Istanbul.Germany's EconMin welcomes proposal for joint EU position toward Saudi“Scarlett Johansson said absolutely not,” Addario told the New York Times on Wednesday. “She said: ‘This guy is perpetuating the war in Yemen. He has women in prison.’”The photojournalist noted the reason bin Salman wanted to be a part of the film was a part of a larger "charm campaign" which would make the West believe the crown prince was interested in American culture.Bin Salman went to Hollywood in April, and met with movie stars and studio executives, including actor Dwayne Johnson and Oprah Winfrey."A pleasure to have a private dinner with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman," Johnson said in an Instagram post after meeting bin Salman.Johanson has previously come under fire for quitting the charitable organization Oxfam because of her rejection of the Boycott, Sanctions, and Divestments movement.
US actress rejects funding for film from Saudi prince
Salah bin Jamal Khashoggi was photographed Wednesday stoically shaking bin Salman's hand, as well as shaking hands with Saudi King Salman, during a photo opportunity. The eldest son of Jamal Khashoggi was the subject of a Saudi travel ban since last year intended to lure his father back to Saudi Arabia, according to reports.
The senior Khashoggi was last seen Oct. 2 entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul.
After days of denying any knowledge of his whereabouts, Saudi officials last week said Khashoggi was killed in a "brawl" at the consulate. His body has not been produced and Riyadh has yet to explain its shifting explanations for Khashoggi's disappearance after initially claiming he left the diplomatic facility in Istanbul, and that he might have been murdered by "rogue killers."
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz held a phone talk on Thursday evening, a statement by the Kremlin said.The two leaders discussed the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul and the situation in Syria, the statement said.The talk was initiated by the Saudi side, it added.Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist and columnist for The Washington Post, had gone missing since entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2.After days of denying any knowledge of his whereabouts, Saudi officials last week admitted that Khashoggi was killed in a "brawl" at the consulate.During their conversation, the Saudi king also invited Putin to visit his country, the statement said.Turkey takes statements of 38 Saudi Consulate employeesTurkey only allowed to take water sample from well at Saudi consulateSaudi crown prince presides over committee to restructure intel agencySaudi Arabia says Khashoggi murder premeditated
Russia’s Putin, Saudi king discuss Khashoggi issue
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday laid out his country’s initial findings in its investigation, saying Khashoggi's "murder was premeditated," a finding the Saudis appeared to inch closer to Thursday as the Kingdom's public prosecutor said evidence provided by Turkey indicated Khashoggi's killing was planned in advance.
While he initially struck a positive tone on Saudi Arabia's "brawl" explanation for Khashoggi's death, U.S. President Donald Trump has taken a markedly more pessimistic approach in recent days, claiming Saudi Arabia's explanation is the "worst coverup ever."
CIA Director Gina Haspel is expected to brief Trump later Thursday after returning from Turkey where she reviewed evidence in Khashoggi's case.
German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier said he welcomed Austria's proposal for a joint European position on arm exports to Saudi Arabia, he told German broadcaster Deutschlandfunk (DLF) on Friday.Germany's government has agreed to not deliver weapons to the country at the moment, he said in an interview during a visit to Turkey, adding that the effect of that decision would be stronger if European countries adopted a common position.Saudi Arabia's public prosecutor said on Thursday the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the kingdom's Istanbul consulate this month was premeditated, reversing previous official statements that the killing was unintended.Business with Turkey must remain possible Germany has an interest in Turkey not becoming unstable, Altmaier told German broadcaster Deutschlandfunk (DLF) during a trip to Turkey, on which he was accompanied by a delegation of German business representatives."I have defended the interests of German companies here that say: 'We feel insecure in our activities in Turkey'," he added.Turkey takes statements of 38 Saudi Consulate employeesTurkey only allowed to take water sample from well at Saudi consulateSaudi crown prince presides over committee to restructure intel agencySaudi Arabia says Khashoggi murder premeditated
Germany's EconMin welcomes proposal for joint EU position toward Saudi