Six Years After Khashoggi’s Assassination: Justice Denied, Impunity Prevails

This week marks six years since the brutal assassination of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a man who gave his life advocating for human rights and pushing for a progressive Saudi Arabia. On October 2, 2018, Khashoggi entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, never to be seen alive again. He was murdered inside the consulate by a team connected to the Saudi government, his body dismembered and his remains never returned to his grieving family.

Khashoggi’s assassination prompted a wave of international outrage. Governments, human rights groups, and media outlets around the world condemned Saudi Arabia, and many initially distanced themselves from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who was widely implicated in the killing. President Joe Biden promised to hold bin Salman accountable, as U.S. intelligence concluded that the Crown Prince had authorized the operation that led to Khashoggi’s death.

However, despite these initial promises, economic and strategic interests have taken precedence over the pursuit of justice. In a disturbing turn, key international players, including the United States, have resumed full cooperation with bin Salman’s regime. In 2022, the Biden administration even granted him sovereign immunity, shielding him from a civil lawsuit filed by Khashoggi’s fiancée, Hatice Cengiz. This move has all but closed the door on holding him legally accountable for Khashoggi’s assassination.

Economic Interests Outweigh Human Rights

The reality is that, while statements about justice for Khashoggi have come and gone, many Western nations have continued to pursue lucrative deals with Saudi Arabia. Economic and diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia have overshadowed the pressing need for accountability in the Khashoggi case and beyond. With the energy crisis exacerbated by global events, the international community has been willing to overlook serious human rights violations in exchange for stability in oil supply and economic benefits.

The priority given to trade over human rights sends an unmistakable message: justice can be sacrificed if the price is right. Bin Salman’s efforts to use “sportswashing”—investing heavily in sports to obscure ongoing abuses—have only grown in recent years. Saudi Arabia’s ownership of Newcastle United, the acquisition of global football stars, and the controversial Saudi-funded golf mergers have all aimed to clean the country’s image while distracting from its human rights record.

Continued Impunity and the Call for Accountability

Despite all the international condemnation, no genuine legal action has been taken against bin Salman or those involved in Khashoggi’s assassination. The response from the international community has been limited to symbolic statements and hollow condemnations. These have failed to bring justice to Khashoggi’s family or deter further abuses. As countries resume business as usual with Saudi Arabia, the message is clear: human rights can be sacrificed for economic interests.

Together for Justice condemns this shift toward complicity and calls on the international community to cease all cooperation with the Saudi regime until concrete human rights improvements are made. We urge governments to demand the release of political prisoners, an end to the war in Yemen, and genuine investigations into crimes committed by the regime, including Khashoggi’s assassination. True justice for Khashoggi, and for all victims of Saudi Arabia’s abuses, requires that those responsible, including Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, are held accountable.

The world must decide: will it continue to prioritize profit over principles, or will it finally stand up for justice and human rights?