Riyadh Must Probe Crown Prince's Links To Khashoggi Murder Jointly With UN - Rapporteur

GENEVA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 25th June, 2019) Riyadh, in cooperation with the United Nations, must carry out a thorough investigation into all possible links of high-level officials, including Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, to the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, the UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Agnes Callamard, told Sputnik in an interview.

On Wednesday, Callamard issued a report summarizing the results of a six-month investigation into Khashoggi's murder. The report concluded the journalist was the victim of an extrajudicial killing and the state of Saudi Arabia is responsible for it. According to the report, there is "credible evidence" that warrants further probe into role of senior Saudi officials, including the crown prince, in the murder.

"A statement [of innocence by the crown prince] is not sufficient because a statement has already been done. What I recommend in my report is that if there is no independent international criminal investigation, what I do recommend is that Saudi Arabia work with the international community, particularly the UN or international experts to undertake in cooperation with them an investigation into all different criminal liabilities including that of high-level officials," Callamard said.

She recalled that her report insisted that "the crown prince or other high-level officials can be found individually liable," even if they did not have a direct role in ordering the killing.

"Even if they did not order the execution, there are other forms of individual liability which are below ordering but which are nevertheless important and carry criminal liability," the rapporteur added.

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.

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