Saudi suspects linked to Jamal Khashoggi killing will be barred from UK, Theresa May announces
2 min read
Saudi Arabian suspects linked to the killing of Jamal Khashoggi will be blocked from entering the UK, Theresa May announced today.
The Prime Minister revealed she would be discussing the suspected murder, which has threatened global relations, with Saudi King Mohammed bin Salman in a phone call later today.
She said the claim by Riyadh that the journalist died in a fight in the Saudi embassy in Istanbul “does not amount to a credible explanation” and demanded to know what happened.
Mr Khashoggi died during a visit to the embassy on 2 October, with the Kingdom admitting that he was killed inside the consulate after two weeks of denials.
Riyadh says the journalist was strangled to death after a fight, but claims have emerged that he was dismembered by agents on the orders of the Saudi government.
Mrs May told MPs at Prime Minister's Questions today: “The claim that has been made that Mr Khashoggi died in a fight does not amount to a credible explanation so there does remain an urgent need to establish exactly what has happened in relation to this.”
She added: "I myself expect to speak to King Salman later today. And I can update the House that no minister or official is attending the investment conference in Saudi Arabia.
“My Right Honourable Friend the Home Secretary is taking action against all suspects to prevent them entering the UK.
“And if these individuals currently have visas those visas will be revoked today.”
The killing has sparked condemnation from around the world and has piled pressure on Government relations with Riyadh, which buys billions of pounds worth of UK weaponry.
Some have demanded the UK follow the lead of Germany in suspending arms sales to the Kingdom until more information is available.
A spokesman for Jeremy Corbyn said: "The steps taken by the British government do not go far enough in response to this action and the wider abuse of human rights by the Saudi dictatorship.
"It’s clearly utterly unacceptable to be continuing to provide weapons that are being used in the way that they are not only in Yemen but at home in Saudi Arabia."
Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt yesterday joined other G7 representatives in calling for “a full and rigorous accounting of the circumstances surrounding Mr. Khashoggi’s death”.
In a statement the group added: “Those responsible for the killing must be held to account. Saudi Arabia must put in place measures to ensure something like this can never happen again.”
PoliticsHome Newsletters
PoliticsHome provides the most comprehensive coverage of UK politics anywhere on the web, offering high quality original reporting and analysis: Subscribe
