Hunt challenges Saudi Arabia over the suspected murder of missing critic

JEREMY HUNT has called on Saudi Arabia to co-operate over the disappearance of a prominent journalist.

The Foreign Secretary met the Saudi ambassador and spoke by telephone to his counterpart in the state to voice the UK’s concerns about the case.

Jamal Khashoggi went missing after visiting the Saudi consulate in the Turkish city of Istanbul last week, sparking claims that he had been killed inside the building.

Mr Hunt said that if reports of Mr Khashoggi’s death proved correct, the UK would regard the situation as “serious”, adding: “Friendships depend on shared values.”

The Foreign Secretary met ambassador Prince Mohammed bin Nawaf Al Saud a day after Downing Street said the UK was “working urgently” to establish the facts behind Mr Khashoggi’s disappearance.

He also spoke to the Saudi foreign minister and called for “urgent answers” about the case.

The Turkish authorities are set to conduct a search of the Istanbul consulate building after announcing that Saudi Arabia had declared itself “open to co-operation” in the investigation.

A critic of the kingdom’s de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Mr Khashoggi was living in self-imposed exile in the US and writing opinion pieces for the Washington Post before his disappearance.

Writing on Twitter, Mr Hunt said: “Just met the Saudi ambassador to seek urgent answers over Jamal Khashoggi.

“Violence against journalists worldwide is going up and is a grave threat to freedom of expression. If media reports prove correct, we will treat the incident seriously – friendships depend on shared values.”

He later spoke to Saudi counterpart Adel al-Jubeir. A Foreign Office spokesman said: “Mr Hunt urged the Saudi Government to co-operate fully with the Turkish investigation into the case.”