Jamal Khashoggi: Australia may impose sanctions on Saudi Arabia over murder of journalist

Foreign Minister, Marise Payne, has flagged possible sanctions against Saudi Arabia, including a ban on the sale of weapons, following the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Under questioning from Greens leader, Richard Di Natale, at a senate estimates hearing, Ms Payne said the killing was “an extremely serious situation of the highest order”.

SAUDI PRINCE OFFERS CONDOLENCES TO KHASHOGGI'S SON AS US RAISES STAKES

The minister said she had spoken to the Saudi Ambassador to Australia and “conveyed Australia’s views and concerns”.

“All options are on the table in terms of Australia’s response,” Ms Payne said.

She said Australia was working closely with its allies and partners, but was awaiting the outcomes of the Saudi investigation.

Mr Khashoggi, a bitter critic of the Saudi regime, was murdered in their Embassy in Turkey.

Ms Payne said material already publicly available, did not disparage Mr Di Natale’s categorisation of a pre-meditated murder.

The Greens leader attacked the Saudi’s human rights record, and its military strikes in Yemen that had created a humanitarian disaster.

And he demanded to know why there’d been no arms ban implemented in light of the Saudi record.

At a later media conference, Mr Di Natale said if the government was certain arms sales hadn’t contributed to the “slaughter” in Yemen, it would have said so.

“The Australian Government refused to guarantee that weapons being sold to Saudi Arabia from Australia are not contributing to the death and destruction of civilians in Yemen,” he said.

“It’s very clear the government is attempting to hide the fact that we are selling weapons of war to a regime that kills innocent civilians that breaches international law and that murders journalists for being simply critics of that regime.

“What more information do you need before you cease selling weapons to a regime that has confirmed that it murders journalists and where the UN say are responsible for breaching international law in what is now a humanitarian crisis.”