In a rare British challenge to Riyadh, the UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt has asked Saudi Arabia for answers over the disappearance in Turkey of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Khashoggi was last seen visiting the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last week, and Turkey says he may have been murdered there. However, this suggestion has been strongly denied by the Saudis.
In a phone call to Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir, Jeremy Hunt warned Saudi Arabia that its friendship with the UK depends on “shared values,” after he demanded answers over the claims.
Hunt tweeted a message after meeting the Saudi ambassador to London, Mohammed bin Nawwaf bin Abdulaziz, on Tuesday.
Just met the Saudi ambassador to seek urgent answers over Jamal Khashoggi. Violence against journalists worldwide is going up & is a grave threat to freedom of expression. If media reports prove correct, we will treat the incident seriously – friendships depend…