The wife of murdered Saudi Arabian journalist Jamal Khashoggi says “zero justice” has been served over her husband’s killing in 2018.
Hanan Khashoggi’s comments to Sky News come after Donald Trump dismissed US intelligence findings that Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman likely had some culpability.
The US president made the remarks after warmly welcoming the de-facto ruler of Saudi Arabia for his first visit to the White House in seven years.
Responding to Mr Trump’s remarks in defence of the crown prince, where he derided Mr Khashoggi as “extremely controversial” and said “a lot of people didn’t like that gentleman”, his wife told Sky News she was “disappointed” to hear the president’s description.
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Speaking during an interview on The World With Yalda Hakim, Ms Khashoggi demanded financial compensation from the crown prince for her husband’s death.
Addressing Mr Trump directly, Ms Khashoggi said she would be willing to meet the US president to tell him about her husband, who she said was “a great man, and a professional, and he was a brave man as well”.
She said her husband was not controversial or unlikable, but even if he was, “it doesn’t justify the action of kidnapping him, torturing him, killing him and dismantling his body”.
She also said she would meet the crown prince and “ask him to retrieve Jamal’s body, so I can bury him in a decent, good way”, as well as ask for financial compensation.
“They killed my husband, they destroyed my life,” she added. “They have to compensate me.”
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Khashoggi killed by Saudi agents
Mr Khashoggi, a strident critic of the kingdom, was killed by Saudi agents during an operation targeting him in Istanbul.
US intelligence agencies concluded the crown prince approved the capture or killing of Mr Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in the Turkish capital. The crown prince has denied ordering the operation, but acknowledged responsibility as the de-facto ruler of the kingdom.
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But Mr Trump, asked about the murder, defended his guest, saying: “Whether you like him or didn’t like him, things happen. But he knew nothing about it, and we can leave it at that. You don’t have to embarrass our guest by asking a question like that.”
The crown prince said Saudi Arabia “did all the right steps” to investigate Mr Khashoggi’s death, adding: “It’s painful and it’s a huge mistake.”
President praises Saudi human rights record
Mr Trump even celebrated the Saudi leader for the kingdom’s human rights record, without providing specific details.
“I’m very proud of the job he’s done,” he said. “What he’s done is incredible in terms of human rights and everything else.”
Human rights groups say Saudi authorities continue to harshly repress dissent by arresting human rights defenders, journalists and political dissidents. They also highlight a surge in executions in Saudi Arabia they connect to an effort to suppress internal dissent.
The crown prince announced that Saudi Arabia was increasing its planned investments in the US to $1trn, up from the $600bn the Saudis announced they would pour into the US they would pour into the US when Mr Trump visited the kingdom in May.
