The exclusive interview

Hatice Cengiz, Khashoggi’s fiancée: “History will judge those who praise Saudi Arabia regime”

“Saudi Arabia? Those who choose to sit at the court of human rights violators and to sing their praises make their own choice of where they stand: it is not for me to judge. Their conscience and history will judge them accordingly”

2 Febbraio 2021

What do you think about the decision made by the Italian government to permanently block arms sales to Saudi Arabia?

This is an important decision, first of all politically and symbolically. Also important because of its effects on the ground, in Yemen and elsewhere. On the political side: the export of weapons is not like any other commercial transaction; it is subject to political scrutiny, it requires government authorisation, and it implies an “endorsement” of the way they are being used. By revoking the export licences, the government of Italy is saying that they do not endorse the continued oppression of the Saudi people, or the killing of civilians in Yemen. Symbolically, it also sends a signal that a certain era of impunity, where all actions by the regime were accepted is not eternal, that there are consequences for atrocities committed. This is an important message. I don’t know anything about which weapons were exported from Italy, and whether they can be replaced with weapons from other countries, but I can tell you that the effects on the ground are important anyway, because these political and symbolical messages on impunity have a direct impact on the level of violence.

What could the western countries do to find out the truth and pursuit justice regarding Jamal’s assassination in Istanbul?

First of all, they can tell the truth. Western countries know the truth: they know who ordered the killing, who is directly responsible for sending the killers, they know that it was not a “rogue operation”. They know who is the killer. The United Nations has had an independent investigation whose conclusions are unquestionable, and it identifies the person who gave the order. Countries can start by simply saying who did it. “Daring” to speak the truth is the first step towards justice. And then choosing: on whose side they are? Are they on the side of the killer, or are they on the side of Jamal, and on the Saudi people who are living in fear and oppression? There is a lot they can do, the first step is to acknowledge what they know on who is responsible.

Do you think that President Biden could do something in order to unseal CIA secret reports regarding the assassination?

Yes, I believe the US Director of National Intelligence will release the report, publicly. Senator Wyden has asked her during the confirmation: will she follow the law and release the report? And her answer was clear. I have high hopes that the NDI will abide by the law.

Recently President Biden decided to re-examine the US arms sales to Saudi Arabia. What do you think about this and in your opinion is there anything else that could be done in this respect?

The first actions of the new US Administration, including on weapons sales, make me optimistic. As I said in respect of Italian weapons sales: this has political, symbolic and practical consequences: even more so because this is the United States, previously the biggest supporters. I want to emphasise that for me Jamal was everything, and of course I do not expect that it will be everything for them : the relationship between the US and Saudi Arabia is of course a very complex matter, and that there are many factors involved, not only human rights. But President Biden has been very clear during his campaign that he intends to align US foreign policy with US values, so I hope that he will see that this goes beyond the issue of impunity for the cold-blooded murder of an editorialist for the Washington Post, it is also what this means in terms of shared values of all of humanity. So, I am hopeful.

What do you think about the participation of world politicians to FII created by Bin Salman?

I am not for or against any person or any politician. I think everybody must make their choices, and answer for them. We already saw that the Saudi G20 was a failure, in many ways: most of all it failed to provide international legitimacy to those most responsible for atrocities and human rights violations inside and outside the country, including the murder of my Jamal. Those who choose to sit at the court of human rights violators and to sing their praises make their own choice of where they stand: it is not for me to judge. Their conscience and history will judge them accordingly.

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