One year since the brutal killing of Jamal Khashoggi, Australia is being urged not to let Saudi Arabia "get away with murder".
The journalist was , with both United Nations and CIA officials finding the assassination likely had links all the way up to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman.
"One year later, we are still waiting for justice," Australia director at Human Rights Watch Elaine Pearson told SBS News.
Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed in 2018. Source: AP
To the ire of rights groups and many foreign governments, Prince Mohammed has rejected knowing anything about the plot, with officials instead blaming a "rogue operation".
Ms Pearson used the anniversary to call for "a proper independent international investigation into all of the circumstances around the killing and to identify all of the individuals who were involved".
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Source: AAP
She said both the Australian government and business community had a role to play.
Last month, Australia delivered a joint statement at the UN Human Rights Council on behalf of 25 countries raising concerns of serious human rights abuses committed by Saudi authorities.
"It is important that truth be established and accountability be achieved [around Khashoggi's murder]," the statement said.
Ms Pearson said, "while it's a positive step that the Australian government has been making strong statements ... this needs to be part of a broader call for an international investigation into the circumstances around his killing".
"The most senior officials who have been involved in his killing remain free."
And she said Australia needed to take a much stronger stance against Saudi Arabia's broader human rights record, specifically after its .
"It is disappointing that Australia continues to sell military equipment to the Saudi government and that there is a lack of transparency around the type being provided and how it's being used," Ms Pearson said.
"I would certainly urge the government to consider targeted sanctions against senior members of the Saudi government involved in human rights violations [in the Yemen war]."
She also said Australia businesses operating in Saudi Arabia need to make human rights part of their discussions, "because if they don't, then it's basically giving the Saudi government a free pass to get away with murder".
In a statement to SBS News, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said, "Australia has made, and continues to make, representations to the Saudi Arabian government on human rights issues, including the murder of Jamal Khashoggi".
"Australia has repeatedly called for truth and accountability for this crime, which was committed on Saudi Arabian government premises by Saudi Arabian government officials."
Rights groups plan to protest Saudi Arabia's "impunity" at their consulate in Sydney on Wednesday.
Murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Source: AAP
Earlier this year, the UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions said there was "credible evidence" linking Prince Mohammed to the murder.
"The execution of Mr Khashoggi was the responsibility of the state of Saudi Arabia," Agnes Callamard said.
She went on to call for an international criminal investigation.
The CIA has also reportedly said the killing was likely ordered by Prince Mohammed.
But US President Donald Trump pushed back at this, saying the CIA had "nothing definitive".
On the eve of the anniversary, Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren took aim at Mr Trump for these sentiments.
"A year has passed, but Donald Trump and his administration have done nothing to hold Saudi Arabia accountable for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. He and his family deserve justice," she tweeted.
Speaking to CBS's 60 Minutes last week, Prince Mohammed denied ordering or having advanced warning of Khashoggi's killing, but said he "took full responsibility as a leader in Saudi Arabia".
Saudi prosecutors have absolved the prince and said around two dozen people implicated in the murder are in custody, with death penalties sought against five men.
Additional reporting: AFP, Reuters
