Following the revelation on Friday that the prince was directly involved in the assassination of Saudi journalist Jamal Kashoki, the United States has allowed key figures around Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Despite the request of the United Nations, no direct action was taken against Salman.

A US report released on Friday states that Salman had approved the capture or killing of journalist Kashoki, a government critic in Istanbul, Turkey.

Moreover, members of the Crown Prince’s chief adviser and his bodyguard were involved in the journalist’s murder. The report also names 21 people involved in the Saudi operation on behalf of Bin Salman.

Due to the assassination, the US Treasury Department has allowed the former adviser to the Saudi Crown Prince and the royal elite. Ahmed al-Assiri, the former deputy head of the Secret Service, and the RIF, a rapid intervention force.

Al-Assiri, according to the United States, was the mastermind of the Kashogi assassination carried out by a command group. The offenders include several RIF members. Sanctions include freezing any of these Saudis’ property in the United States and barring Americans from doing business with them.

UN calls for direct action against Crown Prince

Agnes Calmart, a UN human rights expert investigating Kashoghi’s assassination, said on Twitter that the US government should also take action against bin Salman.

Saudi Arabia should also disclose what happened to Kashoki’s body and where it went, Colmart said.

The Saudi government has since denied Salman’s involvement

Kashoghi was deported to the United States and went missing in 2018 after visiting the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Within weeks of his disappearance, it became clear that he had been killed there. His body has not yet been found.

The Saudi government eventually acknowledged that Kajoki had been assassinated, but denied that Prince Bin Salman was involved in the journalist’s assassination. Five Saudis were sentenced to death domestically for involvement. It happened during a covert trial that was seen internationally as a visual investigation. At the request of Kashoki’s next of kin, their sentences were commuted to 20 years in prison.