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A Saudi dissident who was friends with Jamal Khashoggi has sued consulting firm McKinsey & Company for its 2016 report outing him and two others as the most influential Twitter critics of the regime, new court papers allege.

Omar Abdulaziz — who has asylum and is living in Montreal, Canada — says out of all three people in the report he’s the only one who hasn’t been arrested or “disappeared,” according to a new Manhattan Supreme Court lawsuit.

The report which was released as a PowerPoint presentation in December 2016 “identified the three most influential dissidents using Twitter to criticize Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman’s austerity plan.” And the consulting firm “allowed” the Saudi prince and his agents to somehow get their hands on the report, the court papers allege.

Abdulaziz moved to Canada in 2009 to go to college where he used Twitter and other social media to post political commentary about the “rampant human rights violations” and “misguided foreign policy” in his home country, the court documents charge.


  Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi was killed and dismembered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018. Hasan Jamali, File/AP Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi was killed and dismembered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018. Hasan Jamali, File/AP

While Abdulaziz “was a close political ally and friend of Mr. Khashoggi” before the former Washington Post journalist was murdered in 2018 — he says prior to McKinsey releasing its report, he “was simply one of thousands of individuals protesting corruption and human rights violations” in Saudi Arabia, the court filing says.

But since the report came out, Saudi agents have tried to put pressure on Abdulaziz to stop publishing his opinions of the regime and lure him back to the country and his family and friends have been arrested and tortured.

Further, Khalid AlAlkami “was imprisoned after being identified in the McKinsey report” and Ahmad, whose last name wasn’t listed, “has disappeared — or has been disappeared — after being identified in the McKinsey report,” the suit alleges.


  Omar Abdulaziz poses for a portrait in Montreal, Canada, where he has asylum. François Ollivier for The Washington Post via Getty Images Omar Abdulaziz poses for a portrait in Montreal, Canada, where he has asylum. François Ollivier for The Washington Post via Getty Images

One dissenter whose tweet was just quoted in the report was imprisoned on March 24, 2017, the court papers claim.

Abdulaziz has only avoided this same fate because he’s been in Canada, he says. “However, this has not stopped [The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia] from attempting to harm” him, the court documents allege.

Abdulaziz also says that his brothers, friends and associates in Saudi Arabia have been arrested and tortured including by being electrocuted, waterboarded and his younger brother had his teeth pulled out, the court filing alleges.

Others close to Abdulaziz, who’ve avoided arrest are barred from leaving the country, the court papers claim.

Abdulaziz says that the firm “has a long history of regularly and extensively advising” the Saudi regime and the Ministry of Planning has even been nicknamed “Ministry of McKinsey” by certain Saudis and the royal court, the suit claims.

Abdulaziz says the report forced him into hiding to the point that he had to “move from hotel to hotel for months to avoid being kidnapped or harmed,” the court papers allege.

“Plaintiff fears for his life, withdrew from regular attendance at the university and is unable to seek regular employment,” the court documents claim.

“McKinsey’s conduct in subjecting plaintiff and his family to these dangers was outrageous and unconscionable,” the suit charges.

He’s suing the firm for unspecified damages.


  Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi (right) arriving at the Saudi Arabian consulate before his death in Istanbul on Oct. 2, 2018. Demiroren News Agency/AFP via Getty Images Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi (right) arriving at the Saudi Arabian consulate before his death in Istanbul on Oct. 2, 2018. Demiroren News Agency/AFP via Getty Images

Abdulaziz sued an Israeli surveillance company in 2018 for its spyware that he claims targeted him and helped lead to the killing of Khashoggi.

Last week, McKinsey agreed to pay $573 million over claims that it helped Purdue Pharma push addictive painkillers helping to fuel the opioid crisis.

McKinsey said, “Last year, a prior complaint by Mr. Abdulaziz containing similar allegations was dismissed by a court in California.”

“This latest claim is also meritless and we will defend against it,” the statement continued.

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