Saudi’s Crown Prince MBS Likely to Attend Queen’s Funeral, Human Rights Activists Protest

Riyadh: Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince and de facto ruler Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) has been invited to attend the State funeral of Queen Elizabeth on Monday. However, Salman’s upcoming visit has triggered a controversy in the United Kingdom as human rights campaigners have condemned the condolence invitation. 

The slain Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi's fiancee Hatice Cengiz and other human rights defenders have described the invitation to the Crown Prince MBS as a ‘stain’ on the monarch’s memory. They have further claimed that the visit is an attempt by the Saudi crown prince to use mourning to “seek legitimacy and normalisation”.

It is worth mentioning here Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul in 2018. According to a declassified CIA report, MBS had authorised the murder and dismemberment of the journalist. However, the Saudi Crown prince and his government have denied this allegation. 

The Crown prince Salman is expected to touch down in London on Sunday, but it was unclear if he would attend the actual funeral on Monday.

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