“The Freedom Initiative welcomes the release of the recent report of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), which clearly and unequivocally confirms that Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MbS) is responsible for the brutal murder of U.S. resident and Washington Post journalist, Jamal Khashoggi. While the report is a long-awaited step on the path toward transparency and justice, further tangible action is needed for accountability, starting, but not ending, with sanctions announced today.
The Biden administration must hold MbS accountable, not only to seek justice for Jamal, but to deter other autocrats from committing horrendous crimes against dissidents around the world. Turning the page on Jamal’s murder without proper accountability measures risks transnational repression by autocrats becoming a new norm. Furthermore, any sign of tolerance for such a brutal act can only further damage the credibility of the U.S. on the international stage and undermine this administration’s commitment to human rights and rule of law.
We look forward to working with the administration, Congress, and other civil society members to strengthen and expand the “Khashoggi ban” announced by the Department of State today. We will continue to seek justice for Jamal and ensure that MbS’s crime does not pass with impunity.”
