Saudi Arabia latest: UK and EU threaten 'sanctions regime' in Khashoggi death row

Mr Khashoggi died on October 2 after visiting the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, with the CIA suggesting it was an operation ordered by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman – an allegation he denies. In a statement issued yesterday, a Foreign Office spokesman said: “We need to see accountability for the horrific murder of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi. We are exploring with EU partners the potential for an EU global human rights sanctions regime, which could address such brutal human rights violations.

“We will of course wait for the final outcome of the Turkish investigation before making any decisions.

“The actions Britain and our allies take will depend on two things: Firstly the credibility of the final explanation given by Saudi Arabia, and secondly on our confidence that such an appalling episode cannot – and will not – be repeated.”

The FCO – led by Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt – is planning to base its decision on how the case progresses, he added.

Speaking in October, Mr Hunt told the BBC: “If the stories that we read about are true, and if you are asking me whether that will have consequences for the relationship with Saudi Arabia, then yes, of course it will.”

However, he also emphasised Britain’s “strategic partnership” with Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia denies any involvement in Khashoggi’s death, with foreign minister Adel al-Jubeir saying in October the death had happened during an “operation where individuals ended up exceeding the authorities and responsibilities they had.”

The country has already announced forthcoming prosecutions of 11 suspects, and plans to seek the death penalty for five of them.

Washington has already announced sanctions against the 17 individuals allegedly involved in Mr Khashoggi’s killing, meaning they are unable to travel to America.

CIA director Gina Haspel travelled to Istanbul earlier this month, where she is believed to have listened to a tape recording of Mr Khashoggi’s final moments.

The FCO’s stance is somewhat at odds with that of US President Donald Trump, who said earlier this week he does not want to listen to an audio recording of the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi despite facing mounting pressure to punish Saudi Arabia for the killing.

He told Fox News he would not “because it’s a suffering tape, it’s a terrible tape.”

He added: “I don’t want to hear the tape, no reason for me to hear the tape.

“I know everything that went on in the tape without having to hear it.

“It was very violent, very vicious and terrible.”

Mr Trump said he wants to maintain a close alliance with Saudi Arabia despite Khashoggi’s death and questioned the alleged role of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is known as MbS and is the kingdom’s de facto ruler.

The US President added “he told me that he had nothing to do with it,” stressing “many people” also said the crown prince had no knowledge of the killing.