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U.S. lawmakers responded to U.S. sanctions on 17 people accused of involvement in the killing of Saudi Arabian journalist Jamal Khashoggi by saying the investigations should continue and more individuals should be targeted if found to be involved.
The U.S. Treasury Department levied the sanctions Thursday against, among others, Saud al-Qahtani, a trusted aide of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman; senior aide Maher Mutreb; and Riyadh’s consul general in Istanbul, Mohammed al-Otaibi. They were targeted under the U.S. government’s authority to target human rights abusers.
Lawmakers reacting to the sanctions said the measures were a welcome first step, but only that. Legislators from both parties have urged the Trump administration to take tougher steps against the kingdom, a key U.S. ally.
“Everyone who had a hand in [Mr.] Khashoggi’s brutal murder should be subject to strict sanctions, and, as I review this list, it’s clear that it is not comprehensive,” said Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D., N.H.).
Sen. Marco Rubio (R., Fla.) agreed, saying he urged the Trump administration to continue investigating the killing of Mr. Khashoggi and hold anyone else linked to the case accountable.
Mr. Khashoggi was a columnist for the Washington Post and a critic of the Saudi government. He was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2 by a team of operatives dispatched by Riyadh. The Wall Street Journal previously reported that Mr. Qahtani was intimately involved in the operation.
Saudi Arabia released details about how government critic Jamal Khashoggi was killed inside its consulate in Istanbul. Turkey says there are still many unanswered questions. Photo: AP
Human rights activists also weren’t satisfied. Rob Berschinski, senior vice president for policy of Human Rights First, said Riyadh is likely sighing with relief at the U.S. sanctions announcement.
“The administration isn’t taking a particularly strong stand in terms of accountability…no one should describe today’s actions as a win for accountability or human rights,” he said.
U.S. officials said Thursday that their probe continues, and they signaled more action could come. The sanctions freeze any U.S. assets of the 17 targeted, block their entry to the U.S. and bar Americans from doing business with them.
Rep. Eliot Engel, (D., N.Y.) said the issue isn’t yet put to rest. “It remains unclear whether the Trump administration has determined who is responsible for this horrific incident. Until responsibility is confirmed, this matter is unresolved and deserves Congress’ scrutiny,” he said.
The U.S. sanctions came hours after the Saudi kingdom’s prosecutor said he would seek the death penalty for five people it had charged in the case. The office of the prosecutor didn’t release the names of the 11 people charged, and it said another 10 people remain under investigation. The five who face the death penalty confessed to their involvement, the prosecutor said.
That prosecutor also released more details about what led to Mr. Khashoggi’s killing, saying the continuing Riyadh investigation had completely exonerated the crown prince.
Questions over Mr. bin Salman’s involvement, or the lack thereof, has led to some calls for sanctions against the crown prince. But such a step at this point, could be too politically sensitive for the U.S. to take, said Scott R. Anderson, a fellow at the Brookings Institution.
“Sanctioning the deputy head of state of a foreign country, let alone an ally, is a major step and something [the U.S.] wouldn’t pursue without strong evidence and a willingness to see through the political consequences,” he said.
Write to Samuel Rubenfeld at [email protected]
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