The United States has imposed sanctions on 17 Saudi Arabian individuals for serious human rights abuse resulting from their roles in the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi critic and journalist with Washington Post.
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U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo said the action was taken under the authority of Executive Order 13818, which implements and builds upon the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act.
Khashoggi was reportedly murdered at the Consulate of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Istanbul, Turkey, on October 2.
Pompeo said: “As a result of this action, all of these individuals’ assets within U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them.
“At the time of Khashoggi’s killing, these individuals occupied positions in the Royal Court and several ministries and offices of the Government of Saudi Arabia”.
The list of the sanctioned individuals included Saud al-Qahtani, Maher Mutreb, Salah Tubaigy, Meshal Albostani, Naif Alarifi, Mohammed Alzahrani, Mansour Abahussain, Khalid Alotaibi, and Abdulaziz Alhawsawi.
Others were Waleed Alsehri, Thaar Alharbi, Fahad Albalawi, Badr Alotaibi, Mustafa Almadani, Saif Alqahtani, Turki Alsehri, and Mohammed Alotaibi.
The Global Magnitsky Act empowers the United States to take significant steps to protect and promote human rights and combat corruption around the world.
Pompeo said: “Our action today is an important step in responding to Khashoggi’s killing.
“The State Department will continue to seek all relevant facts, consult Congress, and work with other nations to hold accountable those involved in the killing of Jamal Khashoggi”