Jamal Khashoggi says lack of political life forced him to leave Saudi Arabia

Saudi journalist, Jamal Khashoggi said he had left Saudi Arabia several months ago because there is no political life in Saudi Arabia.

In an interview with CNN, Khashoggi called to allow all of Saudi society to participate in the reform process.

Khashoggi said he felt “insulted” after an official close to the Royal Court called him and asked him to be silent and not to criticize US President, Donald Trump.

“I know many Saudis who went to state security before their arrest and signed pledges not to oppose the government, which is not the Saudi Arabia we should seek. We should seek a holistic Saudi Arabia” he said.

Read More: New Saudi mega-city is prince’s desert dream

“We must not get rid of radical Salafism to impress radical liberalism or whatever its name, reform is something that all sectors in the society must participate in” Khashoggi said.

Remarking on the 70 Saudis who were arrested by the Saudi authorities, Khashoggi said “later, many conspiracy theories may come out, but we see that the 70 detainees come from different directions and do not belong to a single organization”.

“We do not really have political life in Saudi Arabia, parties are banned, organizations are not allowed, so I do not have a really good answer” he said, adding that the only common thing between these people is that they are independent and have expressed concern about one thing or another which is normal in any free society.

“People should be allowed to express their concerns and views on any issue, whether economic or social as long as they do not support or call for violence” he said.