The United States has on Monday banned some 16 Saudi Arabia nationals’ entry into the nation over alleged involvement into the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Saudi consulate of Istanbul last year on October 2.
According to ANI news reports, a statement issued by the US state department stated, “These designations are made under Section 7031 (c) of the department of state, foreign operations, and related programs appropriation act of 2019.”
The 16 Saudi nationals barred from entering the US are Thaar Alharbi, Khalid Alotaibi, Abdulaziz Alhawsawi, Fahad Albalawi, Badr Alotaibi, Saif Alqahtani, Turki Alsehri, Waleed Alsehri, Mustafa Almadani, Naif Alarifi, Meshal Albostani, Saud al-Qahtani, Salah Tubaigy, Mohammed Alzahrani and Maher Mutreb, according to the state department’s issued press release.
It stated, “Section 7031(c) provides that, in cases where the Secretary of State has credible information that officials of foreign governments have been involved in significant corruption or gross violations of human rights, those individuals and their immediate family members are ineligible for entry into the United States.”
It added, “The law requires the Secretary of State to publicly or privately designate such officials and their immediate family members.”
According to US CIA reports, Khashoggi’s murder was enacted over the orders given by Saudi Arabia crown prince Mohammed bin Salman.