The United Nations top human rights officials has called on Saudi Arabia and Turkey to “reveal everything they know” about the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
The prominent journalist disappeared after entering a Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on October 2 and has not been seen or heard from since.
The statement from High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet comes as US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo traveled to Riyadh Tuesday where the two governments agreed on the importance of a thorough, transparent and timely investigation to provide answers.
The US Chief diplomat dispatched to convey the administration’s concerns, agreeing with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman on an investigation that will establish all the facts.
While the Spokesperson for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Rupert Colville called for everything to be revealed.
“The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet is urging the Governments of Saudi Arabia and Turkey to reveal everything they know about the disappearance and possible extra-judicial killing of the prominent Saudi journalist after he visited his country’s consulate in Istanbul. Enforced disappearance or murder, if that has occurred, extra-judicial killing, either way, those are very serious crimes.”
“So, and the one thing we really know as a solid fact is that Mr. Khashoggi went into the consulate and he never came out again, he was never seen coming out again. So, it seems very probable some crime or other has been committed.”
US Senator Lindsay Graham an ally of President Donald Trump has called Mohammed bin Salman a wrecking ball saying quote “he has to go”.
Speaking on a local cable news show, Graham said he’d seen published reports that the Prince approved the interrogation and rendition of Khassoggi back to Saudi Arabia and that an intelligence official, who was a friend of the crown prince, killed the journalist. The UN Rupert Colville called for diplomat immunities to be waived.
“In view of the seriousness of the situation surrounding the disappearance of Mr Khashoggi, the High Commissioner believes the inviolability or immunity of the relevant premises and officials bestowed by treaties such as the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, should be waived immediately.”
With plans afoot from rights groups to call on the Secretary General to establish high-level UN investigation into any and all circumstances and culprits linked to the disappearance – a question we put to the independent UN expert on torture Special Rapporteur Professor Nils Melzer.
“We don’t know the facts that haven’t been established. Obviously establishing the facts is extremely important. I would say that, first of all, this would be the responsibility of the involved states, certainly the state that has jurisdiction over the piece of territory where the events are alleged to have taken place, Saudi Arabia and certainly also Turkey.”
“If no solution can be found in conducting a credible and objective investigation on that level then perhaps at some point an international mechanisms should get involved. I think we’re a little bit early in the process to come to a definite conclusion there because obviously this is a very delicate issue and I think we should give the involved states time, under public scrutiny, to come to a conclusion as to how they want to address this problem.”
Saudi Arabia’s top diplomat to Istanbul, Consul General Mohammed al-Otaibi has reportedly left Turkey with investigators expected to search his residence and vehicles attached to the Consulate.
