Hatice Cengiz, the fiancée of Jamal Khashoggi, who was murdered last October, was extremely harsh on Tuesday 19 February regarding the reaction, or what she believes is the failure of Europeans to react to the murder of the Saudi journalist.
"The EU countries and their Heads of State and Government did not react adequately to this event. The United States and other countries are trying to protect their economic and financial interests and act as if nothing has happened", she denounced at a hearing in the European Parliament's Subcommittee on Human Rights. According to her, the States are trying to manipulate the situation.
A few days after Mr Khashoggi's disappearance, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, called for a thorough investigation and full transparency on the situation (see EUROPE 12114).
For Ms Cengiz, the EU should take sanctions. "An institution like the EU, which claims to be a model of human values, should project these values. It's not just about sanctions, it's about dialogue, we need to continue to talk", she explained.
Last November, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, announced that the EU would examine "in due course" possible measures for the journalist's murder (see EUROPE 12140). As early as the end of October, the European Parliament asked the EU to impose sanctions (see EUROPE 12125), but no measures have been adopted since then.
According to Mr Khashoggi's fiancée, "if we don't respond correctly, it is not only Jamal who is murdered, but journalism. If murderers are not punished, no journalist will be able to do his or her job freely, which would be a betrayal of human rights", she added. Ms Cengiz recalled that her future husband "defended the values defended by the European Parliament, he was trying to defend human rights".
Ms Cengiz, a Turkish national, commended President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for his efforts to get information on what happened. "This murder was committed in Turkey and unfortunately Turkey is left by itself by all the other countries", she said. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)