Ankara: The fiancée of murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi says she has declined an invitation to the White House from US President Donald Trump, accusing him of not being sincere about investigating the killing.
Hatice Cengiz told Turkish TV she thought the invitation was aimed at influencing public opinion in the US.
Khashoggi was killed in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul three weeks ago.
Riyadh denies the ruling royal family was involved and blames “rogue agents”.
Saudi Arabia initially denied all knowledge of the journalist’s fate but the Saudi public prosecutor now describes it as premeditated murder.
Trump has said he is “not satisfied” with the Saudi account. However, while he has floated the possibility of imposing sanctions. He has also stressed the importance of the two countries’ ties.
The president also said it was “possible” Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman did not know about the killing.
Khashoggi had been an outspoken critic of the crown prince, the de facto Saudi ruler.
In comments at security conference in Bahrain, US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis said Khashoggi’s death in a diplomatic facility “must concern us all”.
He said the United States “does not tolerate this kind of ruthless action to silence Mr. Khashoggi, a journalist, through violence.”
“Failure of any nation to adhere to international norms and the rule of law undermines regional stability at a time when it is needed most,” he added.
In a tearful television interviewMs Cengiz recounted the day her fiancé vanished, saying she would never have let her partner enter the consulate if she had thought that the “Saudi Arabia authorities would hatch a plot” to kill him.
“I demand that all those involved in this savagery from the highest to the lowest levels are punished and brought to justice,” she told Haberturk TV.
She said she had not been contacted by any Saudi officials but that she was unlikely to go to Saudi Arabia for a funeral, should Khashoggi’s missing body eventually be found.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called on Riyadh to admit who ordered the killing and where the body is.
The US-based writer’s eldest son arrived in the US from Saudi Arabia on Thursday, along with his family. Salah Khashoggi, a dual Saudi-US citizen, had been barred from leaving Saudi Arabia because of his father’s criticism of the country’s leadership, but this sanction was recently lifted.
Most of Saudi Arabia’s western allies have expressed shock at the death and demanded a full explanation.
But there is disagreement over how to respond.
While Germany has suspended arms exports to the Gulf nation, French President Emmanuel Macron said it would be “pure demagoguery to say ‘we must stop arms sales'”.
The sale of weapons “has nothing to do with Khashoggi. One shouldn’t mix everything up, he said.
Trending
- Religious scholars should play their role in fostering unity and solidarity in society: PM AJK
- Lawyer’s delegation led by CBA Nasir Masood Mughal Advocate calls on PM AJK
- Govt employees salary likely to be increased by 12 percent
- Yasin Malik is being punished for his non-violent political belief by the current extremist government of India.
- WPFD observes in Kotli, freedom of press linked with resolving journalist’s issues, Panel Discussion
- PML-N purpose is to serve the people, build and develop Pakistan: Begum Tahseen Fawad
- DOA welcomes Mr. Ali Hassan Zehri, on becoming the advisor to CM
- Government deals every kind of mafia and their patrons with an iron hand: PM AJK