U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) Thursday issued a statement regarding the administration’s non-compliance with the Global Magnitsky Act relating to the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, as well as a federal law requiring the Secretary of State to certify efforts by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to mitigate the humanitarian disaster in Yemen:
“While I appreciate that 17 Saudi officials have been sanctioned, I strongly urge the administration to fully meet the requirements and deadlines set forth in both the Global Magnitsky Act in relation to the murder of Khashoggi and the National Defense Authorization Act’s unambiguous requirement to certify Saudi and UAE efforts to bring the civil war in Yemen to an end and alleviate the humanitarian crisis.”
Earlier today, Senator Young joined members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to request a classified briefing from the administration on the status of Magnitsky determinations with respect to any foreign person responsible for the Khashoggi murder, including findings related to the involvement of the highest officials in Saudi Arabia.
Senator Young previously joined in sending a letter to President Donald Trump regarding the murder of Khashoggi. As written in the letter, “The Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act requires the President, upon receipt of a request from the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, to determine whether a foreign person is responsible for an extrajudicial killing, torture, or other gross violation of internationally recognized human rights against an individual exercising freedom of expression, and report to the Committee within 120 days with a determination and a decision on the imposition of sanctions on that foreign person or persons.”
Authored by Senators Young and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Section 1290 of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019(P.L. 115-232) requires the Secretary of State to submit written, detailed, and unclassified certifications related to the efforts of the governments of Saudi Arabia and the UAE to end the civil war, alleviate the humanitarian crisis, and protect civilians. A certification, as required by law, was due to be submitted on February 9, 2019. To date, the required certification has not been transmitted to Congress.
