This archive report was first published on 3 October 2019.
On October 2, 2018, Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist and Washington Post contributor, entered the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul to secure a document for his upcoming marriage. What followed was a gruesome murder, with Khashoggi's dismembered body taken from the consulate in suitcases. The killing was allegedly orchestrated by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who remains in the good graces of President Trump.
Despite overwhelming evidence pointing to the prince's involvement, Trump has consistently ignored calls for accountability, prioritizing his 'friendship' with the prince over human rights and press freedom. The prince's denials of complicity in Khashoggi's death have been met with widespread skepticism, and his social reforms, while significant, have done little to address the systemic repression in Saudi Arabia.
The anniversary of Khashoggi's death was marked by an outpouring of commemorative posts on social media, gatherings outside Saudi missions, and a rash of articles and public notices by political leaders. The global outrage has further eroded bipartisan support for the prince and the kingdom in Congress, where his brutal bombing campaign in Yemen has already generated serious questions.
As House Speaker Nancy Pelosi put it, 'I don't see any responsibility for us to protect and defend Saudi Arabia.' It is unlikely that Trump will change his mind, but the time has passed for this administration to demand a credible accounting, suspend arms sales, and submit a report to Congress. Khashoggi's death should not be in vain; nations that value human rights and a free press would do well to remember him and seek rapid, durable political reform in Saudi Arabia.
