The Buck Stops With Mohammed Bin Salman

KAREN ATTIAH of The Washington Post is the face of global protests over Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s murder—allegedly by the Saudi establishment.

- Barkha Dutt

She says that the Saudis are now on the back foot because of this heinous crime. “This is not a journalist they can swallow up without anyone noticing,” says Attiah. Edited excerpts:

Countries like Germany have suspended arms sales to Saudi Arabia in protest over Jamal’s death; some others have not. What do you hope will happen next?

Germany’s is one of the strongest reactions we have seen, by suspending arms sales to Saudi till there is more clarity on what happened to Jamal. The story has been kept alive by Turkey releasing more details. I expect them to keep doing that to push Saudi Arabia into more and more of a corner, and call for an international investigation. The hope is that it will not be business as usual with Saudi Arabia. A number of western countries have pulled out of the investment conference in Riyadh and want to distance themselves from Saudi Arabia, while the crown prince remains the primary suspect, so to speak. We hope the US administration will follow through on calling for consequences.

Jamal’s son was forced or coerced into a photo with the Saudi royals after his father’s murder. What is it saying to the world?