Tunisians protest against Saudi crown prince’s visit after Khashoggi killing
- Prince is on image-mending tour of allied nations after journalist was murdered and dismembered by Saudi team last month, sparking international outrage
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is encountering something in Tunisia that he does not see often: public anger.
Amid international concern about the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, protesters started gathering in central Tunis on Monday night to protest the prince’s arrival late on Tuesday for talks with the Tunisian president.
A banner showing a doctored image of the prince holding a bone saw hung on the headquarters of the Tunisian journalists union. Turkish officials say Khashoggi’s body was dismembered in the Saudi embassy in Istanbul last month.
Prince Mohammed is not exposed to this kind of protest back home, especially as he is engaged in a crackdown targeting business leaders, human rights activists and other royals.
Travelling abroad for the first time since the killing, the crown prince is visiting allies in the Middle East before heading to a Group of 20 summit in Argentina this week, where he may face questions about the gruesome slaying.