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- The U.N. human rights office has confirmed that a senior Saudi official made threats against an independent expert who led an investigation into the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi
- On Tuesday, The Guardian quoted Agnes Callamard as saying that a Saudi official had threatened she would be “taken care of” if she was not reined in
- Callamard said the threat was conveyed at a meeting in January 2020 between Saudi and U.N. officials in Geneva
- Khashoggi is thought to have been killed by Saudi agents in October 2018 at the kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul
- Saudi Arabia has denied any involvement in the killing, saying it was a heinous crime by a rogue group
The U.N. human rights office has confirmed that a senior Saudi official made threats against an independent expert who led an investigation into the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
On Tuesday, The Guardian newspaper quoted U.N. expert on summary killings Agnes Callamard as saying that a Saudi official had threatened she would be “taken care of” if she was not reined in.
“We confirm that the details in the Guardian story about the threat aimed at Agnes Callamard are accurate,” said U.N. human rights spokesman Rupert Colville in an email reply to Reuters.
He added that the U.N. human rights office had informed Callamard of the threat, as had U.N. security and authorities.
Callamard told The Guardian the threat was conveyed at a meeting in January 2020 between Saudi and U.N. officials in Geneva, claiming she was told of the incident by a U.N. colleague.
A U.S. resident and reporter for the Washington Post, Khashoggi is thought to have been killed by Saudi agents in October 2018 at the kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul.
Callamard published a report in 2019, which concluded there was “credible evidence” that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and senior Saudi officials were responsible for his murder.
She subsequently called for sanctions against Prince Mohammed’s assets and international engagements.
The prince denies any involvement in the killing — regarding it as a heinous crime by a rogue group — but has said he bears ultimate responsibility because it happened under his watch.
“A death threat. That was how it was understood,” Callamard is cited as saying.
“People that were present, and also subsequently, made it clear to the Saudi delegation that this was absolutely inappropriate.”
She has previously criticised a Saudi court’s decision in September to jail eight people for up to 20 years for the murder, arguing that not punishing more senior officials was a “mockery of justice.”
