Trump's Saudi Arabia Sanctions Over Khashoggi Show He Won't Punish MBS -- Vox

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[link:https://www.vox.com/world/2018/11/15/18096902/trump-saudi-arabia-sanctions-khashoggi-magnitsky|

Here’s what just happened: The US imposed what are known as Magnitsky Act penalties on more than a dozen Saudi citizens. The Magnitsky Act aims to curb human rights violations around the world by prohibiting access to the United States and its banking system by individuals who commit heinous crimes. According to the State Department, all of the people sanctioned on Thursday worked in the Saudi government at the time of the journalist’s murder.

It’s a rare move against Saudi citizens, blocking their funds in the US and prohibiting Americans from engaging with them. The sanctions target some top Saudi officials such as Saud al-Qahtani, a key aide for Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, also known as MBS.

It’s hard to believe Saudi Arabia’s de facto leader knew nothing about Khashoggi’s demise, but the kingdom has so far not implicated MBS in any wrongdoing.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Thursday that the individuals “targeted and brutally killed a journalist who resided and worked in the United States” and “must face consequences for their actions.”

Hours before the sanctions announcement, Saudi Arabia charged 11 people in connection to the murder — including al-Qahtani — and wants five of them sentenced to death. Ahmad al-Assiri, the kingdom’s deputy intelligence chief, was indicted by the Saudis but not sanctioned by the US on Thursday.

But do the sanctions go far enough? Sean Kane, a former sanctions official at the Treasury Department, isn’t so sure.

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