Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman attends a meeting with the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at the United Nations on March 27, 2018 in New York. (Photo: Bryan R. Smith/AFP/Getty Images)
Petition Filed at ICC to Probe Saudi Ruler MBS for Role in Murder of Jamal Khashoggi
"Nothing of significance happens in the kingdom absent the crown prince's direction or approval."
As human rights advocates marked the one-year anniversary Wednesday of the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a U.S.-based law firm revealed that it filed in July a petition at the International Criminal Court to investigate Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman over his role in the killing and other crimes against humanity.
According to CNN,
Attorneys Bruce Fein, a former associate deputy attorney general under President Ronald Reagan, and W. Bruce DelValle drafted the petition on behalf of the National Interest Foundation, a Washington nonprofit frequently critical of U.S. policy in the Middle East, saying Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman "has ruthlessly and systematically persecuted his political detractors, opponents, or rivals," since being elevated to his position in June 2017. The petition was submitted in July but had not been made public.
Al Jazeera reported that the filing was made public Wednesday.
The document states, in part, that MBS, the de facto ruler, has engaged in "a widespread... systematic attack directed at civilian political opponents" in and out of the kingdom, through which he is "guilty of murder, torture, rape, extortion, illegal detentions, wrongful prosecutions, and the death penalty, i.e., crimes against humanity as defined in Article 7 of the Rome Statute."
"A component of the crown prince's systematic attacks or persecution of his opponents," the filing states, "was his order to assassinate courageous journalist Jamal Khashoggi, which was executed by the Saudi Raid Intervention Group by killing and dismembering... him in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey."
"Even if he said he did not order the assassination of Mr. Khashoggi, the law makes him culpable for it," Fein told Al Jazeera. "As someone who knows everything of significance in Saudi Arabia, MBS should have known about the planned murder even if he was not supervising his thugs."
"Nothing of significance happens in the kingdom absent the crown prince's direction or approval," the filing says.
U.S. intelligence services determined last year that MBS was likely behind the assassination of Khashoggi. And Agnes Callamard, the U.N. special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary, or arbitrary executions, concluded in June following a five-month probe that Khashoggie's "premeditated killing" was likely orchestrated by top Saudi officials.
"Every expert consulted finds it inconceivable that an operation of this scale could be implemented without the crown prince being aware, at a minimum, that some sort of mission of a criminal nature, directed at Mr. Khashoggi, was being launched," wrote Callamard.
MBS for his part, told CBS this week that he takes "full responsibility" for the killing--which he called "a mistake"--though he denied ordering the killing.
Callamard, in an interview with Reuters, said that MBS was "recognizing implicitly at least that the killing was a state killing" and that an assassination that implicated "a consulate requires preparation and planning and ultimately premeditation for 24 hours, is not a mistake."
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. In a few short weeks, US voters will have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
As human rights advocates marked the one-year anniversary Wednesday of the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a U.S.-based law firm revealed that it filed in July a petition at the International Criminal Court to investigate Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman over his role in the killing and other crimes against humanity.
According to CNN,
Attorneys Bruce Fein, a former associate deputy attorney general under President Ronald Reagan, and W. Bruce DelValle drafted the petition on behalf of the National Interest Foundation, a Washington nonprofit frequently critical of U.S. policy in the Middle East, saying Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman "has ruthlessly and systematically persecuted his political detractors, opponents, or rivals," since being elevated to his position in June 2017. The petition was submitted in July but had not been made public.
Al Jazeera reported that the filing was made public Wednesday.
The document states, in part, that MBS, the de facto ruler, has engaged in "a widespread... systematic attack directed at civilian political opponents" in and out of the kingdom, through which he is "guilty of murder, torture, rape, extortion, illegal detentions, wrongful prosecutions, and the death penalty, i.e., crimes against humanity as defined in Article 7 of the Rome Statute."
"A component of the crown prince's systematic attacks or persecution of his opponents," the filing states, "was his order to assassinate courageous journalist Jamal Khashoggi, which was executed by the Saudi Raid Intervention Group by killing and dismembering... him in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey."
"Even if he said he did not order the assassination of Mr. Khashoggi, the law makes him culpable for it," Fein told Al Jazeera. "As someone who knows everything of significance in Saudi Arabia, MBS should have known about the planned murder even if he was not supervising his thugs."
"Nothing of significance happens in the kingdom absent the crown prince's direction or approval," the filing says.
U.S. intelligence services determined last year that MBS was likely behind the assassination of Khashoggi. And Agnes Callamard, the U.N. special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary, or arbitrary executions, concluded in June following a five-month probe that Khashoggie's "premeditated killing" was likely orchestrated by top Saudi officials.
"Every expert consulted finds it inconceivable that an operation of this scale could be implemented without the crown prince being aware, at a minimum, that some sort of mission of a criminal nature, directed at Mr. Khashoggi, was being launched," wrote Callamard.
MBS for his part, told CBS this week that he takes "full responsibility" for the killing--which he called "a mistake"--though he denied ordering the killing.
Callamard, in an interview with Reuters, said that MBS was "recognizing implicitly at least that the killing was a state killing" and that an assassination that implicated "a consulate requires preparation and planning and ultimately premeditation for 24 hours, is not a mistake."
As human rights advocates marked the one-year anniversary Wednesday of the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a U.S.-based law firm revealed that it filed in July a petition at the International Criminal Court to investigate Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman over his role in the killing and other crimes against humanity.
According to CNN,
Attorneys Bruce Fein, a former associate deputy attorney general under President Ronald Reagan, and W. Bruce DelValle drafted the petition on behalf of the National Interest Foundation, a Washington nonprofit frequently critical of U.S. policy in the Middle East, saying Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman "has ruthlessly and systematically persecuted his political detractors, opponents, or rivals," since being elevated to his position in June 2017. The petition was submitted in July but had not been made public.
Al Jazeera reported that the filing was made public Wednesday.
The document states, in part, that MBS, the de facto ruler, has engaged in "a widespread... systematic attack directed at civilian political opponents" in and out of the kingdom, through which he is "guilty of murder, torture, rape, extortion, illegal detentions, wrongful prosecutions, and the death penalty, i.e., crimes against humanity as defined in Article 7 of the Rome Statute."
"A component of the crown prince's systematic attacks or persecution of his opponents," the filing states, "was his order to assassinate courageous journalist Jamal Khashoggi, which was executed by the Saudi Raid Intervention Group by killing and dismembering... him in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey."
"Even if he said he did not order the assassination of Mr. Khashoggi, the law makes him culpable for it," Fein told Al Jazeera. "As someone who knows everything of significance in Saudi Arabia, MBS should have known about the planned murder even if he was not supervising his thugs."
"Nothing of significance happens in the kingdom absent the crown prince's direction or approval," the filing says.
U.S. intelligence services determined last year that MBS was likely behind the assassination of Khashoggi. And Agnes Callamard, the U.N. special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary, or arbitrary executions, concluded in June following a five-month probe that Khashoggie's "premeditated killing" was likely orchestrated by top Saudi officials.
"Every expert consulted finds it inconceivable that an operation of this scale could be implemented without the crown prince being aware, at a minimum, that some sort of mission of a criminal nature, directed at Mr. Khashoggi, was being launched," wrote Callamard.
MBS for his part, told CBS this week that he takes "full responsibility" for the killing--which he called "a mistake"--though he denied ordering the killing.
Callamard, in an interview with Reuters, said that MBS was "recognizing implicitly at least that the killing was a state killing" and that an assassination that implicated "a consulate requires preparation and planning and ultimately premeditation for 24 hours, is not a mistake."