It has been seven years since Jamal Khashoggi entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul and never left again. Seven years of his widow, Hanan Al-Attar KhashoggiShe lived, as she herself says, hell. During the recent visit of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to Washington … While the Crown Prince was receiving honors at the White House and Donald Trump was publicly rejecting US intelligence’s conclusions about who was responsible for the murder, I decided to stand in front of the Capitol to demand something as basic as the truth.
Born in Egypt, residing for decades in Dubai, today she has sought refuge in the United States, and has endured arrests, surveillance, house arrest, and a transnational persecution campaign. She is the woman who shared Khashoggi’s exile, his defense of human rights in his home country of Saudi Arabia, and his silent confrontation with the security services in his country. He is also the one who in recent days requested the full publication of the call that Trump made with Bin Salman immediately after the assassination, a conversation that one of the members of Congress who read it described as “disturbing.”
Hanan Al-Eter tells ABC what pains him about Trump’s official speech, what he expects from the United States and why he insists that revealing the content of that call is necessary so that there is a minimum of justice in the end.
-Are there open operations or any initiatives related to killing your husband, whether in the United States or abroad?
-There is no active investigation. There is no process in place to show the world that justice is being served for Jamal Khashoggi or for me. I am trying to take my case with the help of my family in several countries. In the United States, I have many records and documentary elements, and I trust American justice, but due to legal coincidences, they did not succeed in my case. That’s why I’m now focusing on Europe and Canada. I spent 22 years as a flight attendant for Emirates and Etihad Airways, and during that time I landed in several countries where I was actually under surveillance. This gives me the right to bring cases before those judicial authorities, and that is exactly what I do. I am currently preparing legal proceedings in France and the UK, and looking for lawyers in Turkey and Canada, where I also wish to file complaints. Türkiye blocked my legal path at that time. They intimidated any lawyer who wanted to represent Jamal. I keep trying.
Al-Eter demands the declassification of a call between Trump and Bin Salman
-If these countries assert that you were illegally spied on, what can their judicial systems provide?
-We have conclusive evidence. Citizen Lab confirmed that I had been under surveillance since 2017, long before Jamal was killed, because I was the closest person to him. As for states, their laws differ from those of the United States: some allow investigation and prosecution of events that occurred more than ten years ago. In Türkiye, since it is the place of murder, there must be a legal margin, but it depends on finding a lawyer who dares to take the case. I am also studying Canada and Norway.
– To clarify: Have you already started operations in France and the United Kingdom?
-Yes. In France and the UK I’m already a neighbour. In Türkiye, Canada and Norway, I am still looking for lawyers willing to take on this case.
Citizen Lab confirmed that you were under surveillance…
-definitely. It’s final. They said I had been spied on since 2017, and that this surveillance was being used to follow Jamal. You were the way to get there.
– How did you personally find Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to Donald Trump last week?
-First, it hurts me that there is no beauty here. He had nothing against the Crown Prince or the Kingdom. But they decided to take his life. I was disappointed in the way my husband was described in the Oval Office. They called him “controversial” or “unpopular.” This does not reflect who Jamal is, nor does it justify his kidnapping, torture, killing, and dismemberment. It is an act of terrorism. I was also relieved to see his name being seen around the world again. They tried to bury his case, but were unsuccessful. His legacy lives on, and I’m here to preserve it. I was touched to see journalists like you, like Mary Bruce (of the American television network ABC News) and others, trying to keep your name from disappearing. I am grateful to them.
-Despite the confusion that prevailed that day, do you feel that the world’s focus was once again on Jamal?
-Yes. Completely. Although what happened in the White House was painful, what remained in the end was his name. I’ve seen it all over the world. They tried to silence him, but it turned out the opposite. People remembered who he was and were angry at his description. It was a huge mistake by the president. No independent journalist ever said that Jamal was “controversial” or “unpopular.”
– Do you think that the media is still doing its duty in this case?
-Yes. Last week I saw so much support for Jamal, and it made me feel so proud. This is what I feared losing: that his sacrifice would be forgotten. For me, it was very important to see journalists from so many countries continuing to talk about it.
-Do you think there are still things to know? Are there elements that the press should continue to investigate?
-Yes. I ask for support for Representative Eugene Vindman. He knows the content of the call between President Trump and the Crown Prince in 2019. We need to make it public. Transcription is also necessary for my cases abroad. As was the case with the Epstein case documents, press pressure can lead to declassification. This hadith must be known.
-Was Vindman able to share any details with you?
-no. It is confidential information. I couldn’t do it. In the press conference, the content was also not revealed. That’s why we’re asking the White House to declassify and release the text. We do not see anything in it that would require secrecy for reasons related to national security.
-Have you noticed a media attack to stop or silence Gamal’s case?
-naturally. I’ll give you an example: In the Abraham Accord negotiations promoted by Kushner, one of the first Saudi demands was for the United States to stop talking about Jamal Khashoggi. His condition was not mentioned. Saudi Arabia has tried to bury it using very powerful tools: money, relevant media, cultural sponsorship, sports, and public figures. But they took no real action to correct the crime. The Crown Prince said on television that he took responsibility, but he did nothing. He did not ask me for forgiveness. He did not compensate me for ruining my life. Prisoners of conscience have not been released, except in one recent case because he held a US passport. My lawyer in Saudi Arabia has been missing for three years because he represents me. None of this is a correction.
-What will be enough for you?
-An official apology. Fair compensation. Release prisoners of conscience. And one more thing: tolerance. Listen to other voices. And stop persecuting those who try to help me. This would show real change. None of that happened.
-Many women still wonder why they did this to their husbands. Why do you think they chose him?
-I don’t know. I ask myself this every day. Jamal was willing to return to the country if his safety was guaranteed. He talked to me about it several times. I believe that the Crown Prince’s entourage – not necessarily him – conveyed false information to him. Interests, jealousy and fanaticism. I am convinced that the Prince never read Jamal’s articles. In an interview two years ago, he said he had never read one of his columns. And I believe him. If I had read what he wrote, and if I had understood his vision, I would have invited him to speak. Jamal wanted a better future for his country. It was eliminated by people who did not tolerate a different opinion.