Dubai, United Arab Emirates — The US on Monday mentioned it had not sought the arrest of the previous lawyer of slain Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, contradicting the United Arab Emirates' official rationalization for the American citizen's detention.
The UAE on Saturday sentenced the civil rights lawyer, Asim Ghafoor, to 3 years in jail adopted by deportation on costs of cash laundering and tax evasion. Ghafoor has rejected the costs and mentioned he had no thought he had been convicted on the costs in some unspecified time in the future prior to now, in absentia.
Policemen arrested him at Dubai airport on Thursday as he was transiting to Istanbul for a marriage and took him to an Abu Dhabi detention middle.
The UAE portrayed Ghafoor's arrest as a coordinated transfer with the U.S. to "fight transnational crimes," saying American authorities had requested Emirati assist with an investigation into Ghafoor's alleged tax evasion and suspicious cash transfers within the autocratic nation.
However the U.S. disputed that account, with the State Division saying it has "not sought the arrest of Mr. Ghafoor" and referring additional inquiries to the Division of Justice.
The Division of Justice didn't instantly reply to a request for remark.
Ghafoor sits on the board of Washington-based human rights watchdog Democracy for the Arab World Now and was an in depth pal of Khashoggi, the dissident author and Washington Put up columnist dismembered by Saudi brokers in Istanbul in 2018. He represented Khashoggi in addition to his fiancée, Hatice Cengiz.
The State Division mentioned it had raised Ghafoor's detention "at senior ranges with Emirati authorities" and offered consular assist, with American officers seeing Ghafoor most not too long ago on Sunday.
"Now we have conveyed our expectation that Mr. Ghafoor's rights to a good and public listening to and to honest trial ensures be absolutely revered and that he be handled humanely," the assertion added.
President Biden held a extremely controversial assembly Friday with Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The president had initially shunned Prince Mohammed over human rights abuses, particularly Khashoggi's slaying, which U.S. intelligence officers imagine was doubtless authorised by the crown prince.
However Mr. Biden determined he wanted to restore the longstanding relationship between the 2 international locations to handle rising gasoline costs and foster stability within the unstable area.