Washington DC has renamed the street in front of the Saudi Arabian Embassy to 'Khashoggi Way' in honour of slain journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The City Council unanimously passed the Jamal Khashoggi Way Designation Act on Tuesday, describing it as a reminder that 'free press is fundamental to our democracy' and of the dangers journalists face worldwide.
The move is seen as a direct rebuke to Saudi Arabia, which US intelligence agencies have accused of ordering Khashoggi's murder. Supporters of the bill said the name change would 'permanently shame and embarrass' Saudi diplomats and their visitors for the government-ordered killing.
Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist and critic of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was last seen entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on 2 October 2018. Turkish officials believe his body was dismembered and removed; his remains have never been found.
The bill is expected to be signed by Mayor Muriel Bowser and will then go to Congress for a 30-day review. Officials anticipate approval and plan a signage unveiling ceremony next month. The Saudi Embassy is located on New Hampshire Avenue NW, near the Kennedy Center and the Watergate Hotel.
The legislation's passage coincides with renewed attention to the case after French police briefly detained a Saudi man at Paris airport on a Turkish warrant linked to the killing, though he was later released due to mistaken identity.
