Media Home
UN Web TV
UN PhotoUnifeed
UN / EXTRAJUDICIAL EXECUTION KHASHOGGI
STORY: UN / EXTRAJUDICIAL EXECUTIONS KHASHOGGI
TRT: 2:58
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 25 OCTOBER 2018, NEW YORK CITY
FILE - NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, UNHQ exterior
25 OCTOBER 2018, NEW YORK CITY
2. Wide shot, Callamard at dais
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Agnes Callamard, Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights:
“Even Saudi Arabia itself has admitted that the crime was premeditated, that it involved state officials. Whether or not they acted in the name of the State, that remains to be discussed and investigated, but from where I sit, from the standpoint of international human rights law, this bares all the hallmarks of an extrajudicial execution; and until I am proven otherwise, I will have to assume this is the case. It will be up to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to demonstrate that it was not.”
4. Med shot, journalist asking question
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Agnes Callamard, Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights:
“I personally, at this stage, do not need to have one or another more individuals linked to the crime to conclude on the basis of what I know that it was an extrajudicial execution because the people involved, the people commanded, the people who orchestrated are high enough to represent the State; and there has been no information so far that they acted in a completely rogue fashion.”
6. Med shot, photographer
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Agnes Callamard, Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights:
“We believe, David Kaye and I, that an international investigation must follow. And what it means practically will be for the Turkish authorities - that have already said they would be willing to cooperate – and I hope the Saudi authorities to give an international team, mandated by the Security Council, the General Assembly, the Secretary-General, or the Human Rights Council – give that team access to the evidence that they have collected to date so that the team can review them objectively and on the basis of their expertise.”
8. Med shot, journalist asking question
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Agnes Callamard, Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights:
“It is not quite possible for the State to wash its hands from the behaviour of those actors, whether or not somebody even higher up has requested those acts. Where do we stop? Where do we begin where do we stop our construction of the State? They were representing the State when they acted as they acted. The State cannot wash its hands from its responsibilities.”
10. UPSOUND (English) Journalist asking question:
“So, it doesn’t matter whether the Crown Prince or the King say they didn’t know?”
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Agnes Callamard, Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights:
“Of course it matters, but that does not mean that the Saudi State is not responsible.”
12. Wide shot, press room
The UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions said Saudi Arabia “cannot wash its hands from its responsibilities” in the killing of Jamal Khashoggi adding that the case “bares all the hallmarks of an extrajudicial execution.”
Speaking to reporters in New York today (25 Oct), Special Rapporteur Agnes Callamard said Saudi Arabia has admitted that the crime was “premeditated” and involved state officials. She added, “Whether or not they acted in the name of the State, that remains to be discussed and investigated, but from where I sit, from the standpoint of international human rights law, this bares all the hallmarks of an extrajudicial execution; and until I am proven otherwise, I will have to assume this is the case. It will be up to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to demonstrate that it was not.”
Callamard said, based on the available information, she did not need to have “one or another more individuals” linked to the crime to conclude it was an extrajudicial execution “because the people involved, the people commanded, the people who orchestrated are high enough to represent the State; and there has been no information so far that they acted in a completely rogue fashion.”
The Special Rapporteur said the actions taken by Saudi Arabia do fall into their duty and obligation through its investigation and detainment of individual related to the crime. She expressed her belief that an international investigation “must follow.” She said this call was not based on the technical inability of Saudi Arabia or Turkey to investigate, but due to the nature of the crime, the victim, the people involved, and the location.
She said what an international investigation meant “practically” would be for Turkish and Saudi authorities to give an international team, “mandated by the Security Council, the General Assembly, the Secretary-General, or the Human Rights Council,” access to the evidence that they have collected to date so that the team can review it “objectively and on the basis of their expertise.”
The Special Rapporteur said it was not “quite possible for the State to wash its hands from the behaviour of those actors, whether or not somebody even higher up has requested those acts.” She said the alleged perpetrators were “representing the State when they acted as they acted; the State cannot wash its hands from its responsibilities.”
Asked if it mattered whether or not Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman and King Salman “say they didn’t know,” Callamard said, “Of course it matters, but that does not mean that the Saudi State is not responsible.”
Special rapporteurs and independent experts are appointed by the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council to examine and report back, in an unpaid capacity, on specific human rights themes. They also make annual presentations to the General Assembly committee dealing with human rights issues, known as the Third Committee.
Download
There is no media available to download.
