France on Thursday said it has imposed sanctions, including a travel ban, on 18 Saudi Arabian citizens linked to the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2, reported Reuters.
The French foreign ministry did not name the 18 individuals, but said in a statement that the sanctions were in coordination with European partners. Germany on Monday said it had initiated proceedings to prohibit 18 Saudis suspected of having a role in the murder from travelling into its territory and to Europe’s Schengen passport-free zone. The United States has also imposed economic sanctions on 17 Saudis, including top aides of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
“These measures... aim to prohibit these individuals from entering national territory and the entire Schengen area” of Europe, the French foreign ministry said in a statement, according to AFP. The Schengen area comprises 26 European countries without internal border control.
“They are conservative measures, subject to review or extension based on the findings of the investigation under way,” the statement said.
On November 15, Saudi Arabia said it had indicted 11 suspects for Khashoggi’s murder and prosecutors sought the death penalty for five of them. The foreign ministry’s statement said France “recalls its opposition” to the death penalty.
A day later, the Central Intelligence Agency of the US concluded after an investigation that Salman ordered Khashoggi’s killing. However, US President Donald Trump defended Salman, claiming there was “nothing definitive” linking Salman to Khashoggi’s murder.
On Friday, Trump again supported Salman, saying the CIA did not blame the crown prince for the murder. “They didn’t conclude,” Trump said when asked about the CIA’s evaluation, reported The Guardian. “They have feelings certain ways. I have the report, they have not concluded, I don’t know if anyone’s going to be able to conclude the crown prince did it,” he said.
Salman has denied any involvement in the murder. After numerous contradictory explanations, Riyadh said last week that Khashoggi was killed and his body dismembered when “negotiations” to persuade him to return to Saudi Arabia failed, reported Al Jazeera.
Khashoggi, a vocal critic of the Saudi regime, went missing on October 2 when he was last seen entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul for paperwork for his upcoming marriage. Saudi Arabia initially claimed to have no information about his disappearance but later admitted he was killed by agents working without Riyadh’s knowledge.
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