A Saudi official has reportedly issued a death threat against a United Nations investigator following her investigation into the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Agnès Callamard, the organization’s special rapporteur on extrajudicial killings, told The Guardian that she was warned in January 2020 of the threat from a UN colleague. Geneva, in which the official reportedly threatened to have her “taken care of” if she were not restrained by the UN.
‘A death threat. That was how it was understood, ” said Callamard when asked how her colleagues saw the statement.
After UN officials raised the alarm about the threat, other Saudi officials tried to reassure them that the threat should not be taken seriously, The Guardian reports. But after the officials left, the Saudi official stayed and repeated their alleged threat to UN officials.
“It was reported to me at the time and it was one time when the United Nations was actually very strong on that matter. People who attended, and beyond, made it clear to the Saudi delegation that this was absolutely inappropriate and that it was not expected to continue, ”Callamard told The Guardian.
During the “high-level” meeting between Saudi diplomats in Geneva, visiting Saudi officials and senior UN officials, Callamard’s investigation into the Khashoggi murder was furiously criticized by the Saudis, Callamard said. The Saudi officials also reportedly groundlessly claimed that Callamard had been paid by the government of Qatar.
As the Guardian reports, Callamard’s 100-page report published in 2019 concluded that there was “credible evidence” that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was behind Khashoggi’s death, along with other Saudi officials. death.
The Biden government has been widely criticized for its decision not to punish the Crown Prince for the murder of Khashoggi, although it has issued sanctions and visa restrictions against other Saudi figures linked to the murder.
“This is a critical step because it structurally addresses an unacceptable pattern of targeting, monitoring, intimidation and threats against dissidents and journalists,” said the White House press secretary. Jen Psaki
Jen PsakiOn The Money: New batch of stimulus payments to hit bills Wednesday | Biden eyes T infrastructure package | Senate Confirms Walsh as Labor Secretary Wiping White House Eyes T Spending Proposal Texas Democrat Office Unveils Photos of Overcrowded Border Patrol Facility MORE said in early March in defense of the government’s decision. “Our national security team believes that identifying the network responsible for these actions is the best way to prevent a crime like it ever happening again.”