Hatice Cengiz, the fiancee of slain Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, has urged the British government to block a planned Saudi Arabia-funded takeover of Premier League team Newcastle United.
She insisted the UK government to stop Saudi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman to “raise himself above the law of the land” with the proposed takeover.
Khashoggi’s fiancee said the Saudi crown prince has been using this takeover to improve his shaken image on the world stage, although many details of the murder are still unknown.
Saudi Arabia is not a country with a modern law and justice system that is accepted throughout the modern world today, Cengiz said.
Besides, she added: “the Saudi Prince is above any law in his country.”
“If this sale happens, you will have given him the message that he is above the law in your country,” she said, and added: “Do not let him raise himself above the law of your land,” calling on British authorities.
Cengiz asked why the human rights organizations, lawyers and journalists are still waiting for this sale to happen. “It’ll not matter once the sale is closed. They need to act before it’s too late,” she said.
She also urged human rights groups to immediately take action to stop Saudi takeover of Newcastle United FC. She said once the sale happens, they cannot take any action beyond “condemning”.
Notably, British billionaire Mike Ashley, the current owner of Newcastle United since 2007, put the club up for sale in 2017.
The Saudi Public Investment Fund, chaired by bin Salman, bid some £300 million ($374 million) to take over Newcastle. If the transaction is approved, the fund will own 80% of the club.
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