The United States on Monday called on Saudi Arabia to "
dismantle
" the elite Saudi unit close to the crown prince, already sanctioned, for its role in the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Read also: United States - Saudi Arabia: recalibration, not the rupture
"
We urge Saudi Arabia to dismantle this group and adopt systemic institutional reforms and oversight mechanisms to ensure that activities and operations against dissidents cease, and cease altogether,
" the spokesperson said. American diplomacy Ned Price in front of the press.
In a declassified US intelligence report released Friday, the United States accuses the powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of having "
validated
" the assassination of the Saudi journalist in 2018. But they did not sanction the young leader to avoid a break in relations with Riyadh.
Washington, on the other hand, took sanctions against relatives of the prince and against the Rapid Intervention Force, an elite unit responsible for his protection, accused of being largely involved in the murder.
Faced with criticism for the absence of punitive measures targeting Mohammed ben Salman, the administration of Joe Biden has said it wants to "
recalibrate
" relations with Saudi Arabia to prevent such a murder from happening again.
Ned Price also called on the Saudi authorities to go further on human rights.
"
We urge Saudi Arabia to take further action to lift the travel ban
" which has left recently released activists in place, he said.
