‘Unfortunate accident’: Saudis assure UN there’s no need for probe into Khashoggi killing

The Saudi human rights commission rejected calls for an international investigation into Jamal Khashoggi’s murder, saying they’ve already punished the killers who they refused to name or give any details about.

After countries around the world, including every EU member nation, encouraged Saudi Arabia to cooperate with an international investigation into the Washington Post journalist’s death, Bandar bin Mohammed al-Aiban responded Thursday, saying his country already took care of everything.

Al-Aiban described the murder as an “unfortunate accident.” While not naming any names, he said that 11 Saudi citizens had been indicted for the “heinous crime” last year. Although Saudi prosecutors are seeking the death penalty over the incident, he assured that those found guilty were not being tortured.

“Justice in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia operates pursuant to international law and it does so in all transparency,” al-Aiban told the forum, right before adding that the Kingdom would not accept any “foreign interference” in its “domestic affairs or judicial system.”

The United States’ annual human rights report painted a slightly different picture, accusing agents of the Kingdom of being directly responsible for Khashoggi’s death in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last October. Whereas the UN and US intelligence agencies have implicated Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the murder, the US’ report Thursday stopped shy of accusing their long-time ally’s leadership.

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