Parliament Condemns Killing of Saudi Arabian Journalist

By Julius Yao Petetsi

GHANA'S Parliament yesterday joined the world to condemn the killing of Saudi Arabian journalist, Jamal Kashooggi, calling on the United Nations to lead investigations into his murder.

Speaker of the House, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye, leading the lawmakers to condemn the killing of the 59-year-old journalist, said "no diplomatic coverup" should be allowed in Kashooggi's death.

According to the Speaker "the House is unanimously of the view that the United Nations and all international agencies should be at the centre of the (investigative) process at this stage."

He said recent developments have shown that "diplomatic immunities of embassies can be put aside under the principle of lifting the veil so that justice is done. So where murder and inhuman acts are committed, no diplomatic cover-up should be allowed."

"The dismemberment of the body (of Kashooggi) for example, as shown in the international media and on our phones, fly against our common humanity, so action must be take accordingly," directing that Parliament's position on the matter was communicated to all embassies in the country and to the Ghanaian government.

Speaker Oquaye's outrage follows an application by Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, calling for an investigation into the murder of the Washington Post columnist.

Describing the killing of the late journalist, a critic of the Saudi dynasty, as "conscionable and unacceptable," the Tamale South Member of Parliament demanded that the perpetrators were tried in accordance with international laws and made to pay the ultimate price.

He said the murder is an affront to the freedom of expression and independence of the media.

"He was only contributing to the development of the world through his writing, espousing what he believed in what he saw," Mr Iddrisu noted.

He said "there are various attempts to cover up the murder of Kashooggi, but we will not accept the cover up. This Parliament should not accept the cover up so that this is never repeated."

Deputy Majority Leader, Sarah Adjoa Safo, adding her voice to the call, said nine questions remain unanswered by the Saudi officials.

Among her questions were whether or not the security details of the Saudi Crown Prince were in Istanbul on the day of Kashooggi's murder, and what happened in the consulate leading to Jamal's death and where the body is.

Kashooggi was killed in the Saudi Embassy in Istanbul on October 2, 2018, and after weeks of denial, the Saudi government in a statement on October 18, said Kashooggi was killed in a fight that broke out in the consulate.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has led the charge for investigations into the circumstances leading to Kashooggi's death, and the question about the whereabout of his dismembered body remains unanswered.

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