Harvard cancels Saudi diplomat's speech

TEHRAN (defapress)– As a protest to killing the Saudi critic journalist, Harvard University has canceled a speech by Turki al-Faisal, former Saudi ambassador to Washington and former Saudi Arabia's security and intelligence chief.

News ID: 73488

Date: 04 November 2018 - 11:26

Al-Faisal's speech was scheduled to take place this week at Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at the John F. Kennedy School at Harvard University.

Al-Faisal, who was Saudi Arabia's security and intelligence chief between 1977 and 2001, told the American news website, the Daily Beast, 'I got notice … this may not be the right time for you to come and lecture because of the Khashoggi affair.'

Over the past years, the Saudi prince has attended Harvard University for more than 15 times to partake in conferences and to deliver lectures.

Slaying Jamal Khashoogi has triggered a reaction from Riyadh's allies, with many countries and international organizations denouncing the Saudi rulers and urging a thorough investigation into the case, thus turning the issue into a crisis for Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia, at first, dismissed allegations of killing Jamal Khashoggi who had vanished upon entering Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October second.

After 18 days, however it bowed down to international pressure and declared the journalist's death. It did not claim responsibility for it though and said Khashoggi has died in what it called a 'fist fight'.

The claim eventually died out and Saudi officials admitted murdering the journalist was on purpose.

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