US Research Continues: Biden Tells King Salman Asks For Accountability For Khashoggi

Jamal Khashoggi (Sumber: Washington Examiner)

JAKARTA - President of the United States (US) Joe Biden said he would hold Saudi Arabia accountable for human rights violations.

This was expressed by Biden when speaking to Saudi King Salman. "I spoke yesterday with the king, explaining to him that the rules are changing," Biden said in an interview with Univision.

"And we will announce significant changes today and Monday. We will hold them accountable for human rights violations."

Biden also said the US would announce significant changes in bilateral relations on Friday and Monday.

Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, approved operations to arrest or kill the dead journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018, according to US intelligence released on Friday.

US intelligence investigation

Khashoggi, a US resident who wrote an opinion column in the Washington Post criticizing Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's policies, was murdered and his body "disappeared" by an operative team linked to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey.

"We believe that the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Muhammad bin Salman approved an operation in Istanbul, Turkey to arrest or kill Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi," the Office of the Director of US National Intelligence said in the four-page report.

The intelligence agency based its assessment on the crown prince's control over decision-making, the direct involvement of one of his top advisers, and details of his own protection, as well as "his support for using violent measures to silence dissidents abroad, including Khashoggi."

"Since 2017, the Crown Prince has absolute control over the Kingdom's security and intelligence organizations, so it is highly unlikely that Saudi officials would carry out such an operation without (his) permission," US intelligence said.

The Saudi government, which has denied any involvement by the crown prince, issued a statement rejecting US intelligence findings and reiterating earlier claims that Khashoggi's murder was a heinous crime by a rogue group.

US President Joe Biden is trying to make it clear that the killing of political opponents is unacceptable to the US, but he is trying to maintain ties with the crown prince who may have ruled one of the world's top oil exporters for decades and become a key ally against a common enemy, Iran.

In a television interview on Friday, Biden said he told Saudi King Salman that Saudi Arabia must address human rights violations as a precondition for dealing with the US.

"(I) explained to him that the rules changed and we will announce significant changes today and Monday," said Biden.

In unveiling the report, Biden reversed his predecessor Donald Trump's refusal to release it in contravention of the 2019 law, reflecting a new US willingness to challenge the kingdom on human rights issues to Yemen.

"This report is already there, the last administration didn't even want to release it. We immediately, when I took office, filed a report, read it, got it, and released it today. And what a shame what happened," said Biden.

Among the punitive steps the US took on Friday, it imposed a visa ban on some Saudis believed to be involved in Khashoggi's murder and sanctioned others, including a former deputy intelligence chief, who would freeze their US assets and generally ban them. American citizens to transact with them.

US officials also said they were considering canceling arms sales to Saudi Arabia which raised human rights concerns and limited future sales of defense weapons, as they reassessed its relationship with the kingdom and its role in the Yemen war.