Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince, fielded questions about the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi on Wednesday’s episode of “Special Report with Bret Baier.”
MBS was asked if he stands by his prior statements that he did not “order” Khashoggi’s murder. Khashoggi, a former reporter for The Washington Post, was killed in 2018 by Saudi agents at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, Turkish officials said, the BBC reported. (RELATED: Saudi Arabia Inks Multi-Billion Dollar Deal With China As Kingdom Seeks To ‘Collaborate’ With CCP)
“But five years later, what do you tell people in the U.S. who still have concerns? And journalists maybe around the world, and maybe potential tourists who would come here to Sindalah, that they wonder if anything changed, or if it could happen again?” Baier asked.
MBS claimed that Saudi Arabia commenced an extensive investigation into the death of Khashoggi. He said that those responsible for the journalist’s death were given a trial and that the case is closed. He said that there have been reforms in the country to prevent a similar situation from ever happening again. MBS added that Saudi citizens must continue to follow the laws until they are changed, and that he cannot tell a judge to ignore laws.
“We can see in the past five years, nothing of those things happen. It’s not part of what Saudi Arabia do in the last hundred years. It was a mistake. It was painful, and we are trying our best to be sure that we are following our system to work by the book, and to be sure everyone is safe,” MBS said.
Baier asked MBS if those presumably responsible for Khashoggi’s death were put in jail.
“Yes,” MBS said. “Everyone involved is serving jail time. You have to face the law.”
Baier also pointed out an Associated Press article that claimed a Saudi man received the death penalty over posts he made online.
“Ashamedly, it’s true. It’s something I don’t like,” MBS said.
Saudi Arabia has undergone extensive efforts to rehabilitate its reputation in recent years. These efforts include heavy investments in sports, such as the merger between the Saudi-funded LIV Golf Tour and the PGA. Soccer mega-star Cristiano Ronaldo agreed to join the Saudi Arabian team Al Nassr for €500 million. Saudi Arabian team Al Hilal successfully lured soccer superstar Neymar for a deal worth close to $100 million.