Human Rights Watch rejects Saudi 'whitewash'

Human Rights Watch called for the rejection of the Saudi explanation of the death of Jamal Khashoggi.

1 min read

22 October, 2018

Saudi authorities said Khashoggi died in a brawl involving visiting officials (Getty)

A rights group is calling on the United States, Turkey and other nations to reject what it says is an attempt by Saudi Arabia to "whitewash" the killing of Saudi dissident writer Jamal Khashoggi.

In a statement on Monday, New York-based Human Rights Watch said Saudi Arabia's claim that Khashoggi was killed in a fistfight at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul appeared to be an attempt to "insulate Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman from further scrutiny and to prevent full accountability" for the journalist's death.

The group renewed a call for the United Nations to launch an independent investigation into the killing.

On Saturday, Saudi authorities said Khashoggi died in a brawl involving visiting officials, an account that has drawn widespread skepticism. Riyadh also said 18 Saudi suspects were in custody and intelligence officials had been fired.

Michael Page, the deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch, said "demotions of senior officials as scapegoats" would not exonerate the crown prince.