April 27, 2024

Press Freedom

Saudi Arabia

OPC Supports Call for US Congress to Investigate Khashoggi’s Death

NEW YORK, October 20, 2018—The Overseas Press Club of America supports Congressional efforts to use the Global Magnitsky Act to investigate the death of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi and bring sanctions against those responsible.

Saudi Arabia’s attorney general released a statement Oct. 19 that Khashoggi was killed during a fistfight inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2.

The global press freedom community denounced the Saudi statement and continued to call for an independent investigation. Congressional leaders, including Bob Corker, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, questioned the Saudi’s account.

“The story the Saudis have told about Jamal Khashoggi’s disappearance continues to change with each passing day, so we should not assume their latest story holds water,” said Corker, according to news reports.

“They can undergo their own investigation, but the U.S. administration must make its own independent, credible determination of responsibility for Khashoggi’s murder under the Global Magnitsky investigation as required by law.”


The Overseas Press Club is an international association of journalists based in New York City that works to encourage the highest standards in journalism, to educate the next generation of foreign correspondents and to promote international press freedom and the well-being of colleagues in the field.