BRUSSELS: The European Parliament has urged EU member states to impose an arms embargo on Saudi Arabia over the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and the war in Yemen.
In the EU arms export report adopted on Thursday, EU lawmakers urge all members of the bloc to “follow the example of Germany, Finland and Denmark, which, after the killing of Khashoggi adopted restrictions on their arms exports to Saudi Arabia”.
The document also points out that arms exported to Saudi Arabia, the UAE, as well as other members of the Saudi-led coalition in the Yemen war, had been used in the country, “where 22 million people find themselves in need of humanitarian aid and protection”.
The report also urges the remaining EU countries to impose similar sanctions to prevent further civilian suffering in the Yemen conflict.
Riyadh offered conflicting narratives to explain Khashoggi’s disappearance before acknowledging he was murdered in the diplomatic building in a “rogue operation”.