Jamal Khashoggi’s fiancee urges Premier League to block Saudi Arabia-backed Newcastle United takeover

The fiancée of murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi has asked the English Premier League (EPL) to stop the $368m takeover of Newcastle United Football Club by a Saudi Arabian sovereign fund.

Hatice Cengiz’s lawyer, Rodney Dixon, sent a letter to the league in his client’s name saying any deal would tarnish the reputation of English football and make it complicit in the cover-up of Khashoggi’s death.

“It is undoubtedly the right, proper and lawful action for you (chief executive Richard Masters) and the Premier League to take, especially in light of the ruthless killing of Ms Cengiz’s fiance,” the letter said.

“There should be no place in the Premier League, and English football, for anyone involved in such abhorrent acts.”

Noteworthy, the takeover of Newcastle is being planned by a consortium largely financed by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, which is chaired by the crown prince.

Cengiz also questioned whether the takeover of a majority stake in Newcastle was compatible with the EPL’s charter.

The charter prohibits a club from being controlled by an individual who has engaged in conduct that would be “an offence” if it had occurred in the UK.

Last week, it was reported that the takeover looked set to go ahead because EPL rules prohibit minor criminal offenders from ownership, but do not require any scrutiny of those accused of being war criminals, human rights abusers or murderers.

Since the crown prince led a coalition that intervened in Yemen’s civil war in March 2015, Saudi forces have been accused by a United Nations human rights panel of committing war crimes – as have all other parties to the conflict.

Saudi forces have bombed schools, mosques, hospitals and markets, according to the UN and human rights groups.

Since becoming de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, serious human rights abuses have continued unabated under bin Salman.

Muslim scholars have been executed, women’s rights activists have been detained and allegedly tortured and freedom of expression, association and belief continue to be denied.

Likewise, the 2018 murder of journalist Khashoggi has caused a considerable backlash to the takeover plans though, given that United States investigators believe the Crown Prince ordered his murder.

Saudi-born journalist Khashoggi was murdered inside Saudi Arabia’s consulate in Istanbul, Turkey after going into the government office to pick up documents pertaining to his future marriage with Cengiz.

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