Canada imposes sanctions on 17 Saudis linked to murder of journalist

Canada is imposing sanctions on 17 Saudi Arabian nationals linked to the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland made the announcement Thursday at a G20 summit in Buenos Aires.

According to The Canadian Press, the sanctions freeze any assets the individuals might have in Canada and says they cannot enter the country. The United States has already done something similar.

American officials said they were the men involved in the 15-man hit squad who kidnapped, tortured and dismembered Khashoggi.

Khashoggi, a common critic of the Saudi royal family and a contributor to the Washington Post was killed in October when he went to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to get paperwork for his impending marriage. He never came out.

The Saudi government’s story about what happened has changed repeatedly. American intelligence agencies have reportedly come to the conclusion that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had a hand in the affair.

1/2 The murder of Jamal Khashoggi is abhorrent and represents an unconscionable attack on freedom of expression + freedom of the press. This case is not closed. Canada continues to call for a credible & independent int’l investigation. Those responsible must be held to account.

— Chrystia Freeland (@cafreeland) November 29, 2018

2/2 Today, Canada is imposing targeted sanctions — under our Magnitsky legislation – against 17 individuals who, according to our government, are responsible for or complicit in the extrajudicial and extraterritorial killing of Mr. Khashoggi.

— Chrystia Freeland (@cafreeland) November 29, 2018