GENEVA: Saudi Arabia`s secretive hearings for 11 suspects accused in the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi violate international law and should be open to the public and trial observers, a U.N. human rights expert said on Thursday.
Agnes Callamard, the U.N. special rapporteur on extrajudicial executions who is leading an international inquiry into Khashoggi`s murder at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last October, denounced what she called the lack of transparency of the kingdom`s investigation and legal proceedings.
She called on Saudi authorities to reveal the defendants` names, the charges and the fate of 10 others initially arrested.
