Khashoggi's Fiancee To Call On World To Impose Sanctions Against Saudi Arabia

Hatice Cengiz, the fiancee of murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi, told reporters on Wednesday she was going to call on the international community to impose sanctions against Saudi Arabia over Khashoggi's assassination

GENEVA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 26th June, 2019) Hatice Cengiz, the fiancee of murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi, told reporters on Wednesday she was going to call on the international community to impose sanctions against Saudi Arabia over Khashoggi's assassination.

Later today Cengiz will address the ongoing Human Rights Council in Geneva. The UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary and arbitrary executions, Agnes Callamard, will also officially present her report on the Khashoggi case, which was issued last week.

"Here today I am making a call on all countries to take sanctions against Saudi Arabia," Cengiz told reporters at the UN Office in Geneva.

She expressed hope that the whole world would take action to bring those responsible for her betrothed's death to justice.

"I believe in a positive initiation of an international criminal investigation. I don't think this issue will remain just as a call for international investigation... Jamal was a person, who defended democracy and freedom of expression.

He was a person, who lived, according to the European principles. I don't think that Jamal's case will remain on the shelves of the UN. I believe the whole world will take an action. And I will continue to do the follow-up," Cengiz said.

Khashoggi, a columnist for The Washington Post, went missing last October after he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Riyadh initially denied any knowledge of the journalist's whereabouts but eventually admitted that Khashoggi was killed and dismembered inside the embassy.

Last week, Callamard issued a report concluding that Khashoggi's death was a premeditated extrajudicial murder for which Saudi Arabia is responsible. She called on UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to launch a follow-up criminal probe of the killing due to "credible evidence" that warrants further investigation of senior Saudi officials, including Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Saudi authorities have charged 11 people with Khashoggi's murder but have repeatedly denied any involvement of the royal family.