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Khashoggi Fiancée Urges Punishment for Saudi Crown Prince

VOA News

   Thefiancée of murdered journalistJamalKhashoggisaid Monday that Saudi
   Crown PrinceMohammed bin Salman"should be punished without delay" for
   orderingthekilling.

   In a statement posted on Twitter,HaticeCengiz said if the crown prince
   faces no punishment, "it willforever signal that the main culprit can
   get away with murder which will endanger us all and be a stain on our
   humanity."

   Last week, the United States released a declassified intelligence
   report assessing the crown prince approved the murder of Khashoggi in
   the Saudi consulate in Turkey.

   Khashoggi was lured to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul onOctober 2,
   2018 andkilled by operatives linked to the crown prince. His body was
   dismembered, and his remains have never been found.

   Saudi Arabiaeventually admitted that Khashoggi was mistakenly killed in
   what it called a rogueoperation butdenied the crown prince's
   involvement. It rejected the U.S. reporton Friday, sayingit contained
   "inaccurate information and conclusions."
   Friends of slain Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi hold posters bearing
   his picture as they attend an event marking the second-year anniversary
   of his assassination in front of Saudi Arabia Istanbul Consulate, on
   Oct. 2, 2020.

   The U.S. intelligence report said it is "highly unlikely" Khashoggi
   would have been killed without the prince's approval.

   "While the United States remains invested in its relationship with
   Saudi Arabia, President (Joe) Biden has made clear that partnership
   must reflect U.S. values," Secretary of State AntonyBlinkensaid in a
   statementFriday.

   The Biden administration announced visa restrictions against 76 Saudi
   citizens, withBlinkensaying they are"believed to have been engaged in
   threatening dissidents overseas, including but not limited to the
   Khashoggi killing." The Treasury Department announced its own set of
   sanctions as well.

   In her message Monday, Cengiz said the U.S. measures will only be
   meaningful if the crown prince faces punishment.

   "Starting with the Biden Administration, it is vital for all world
   leaders to ask themselves if they are prepared to shake hands with a
   person whose culpability as a murderer has been proven, but not yet
   punished," Cengiz wrote. "Ignoring this fact and remaining in limbo
   without any punishment will cause us to lose our universal values of
   humanity."

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