U.S. denies UAE's explanation for arrest of Jamal Khashoggi's lawyer

Dubai, United Arab Emirates — The United States on Monday said it had not sought the arrest of the former lawyer of slain Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, contradicting the United Arab Emirates' official explanation for the American citizen's detention.

The UAE on Saturday sentenced the civil rights lawyer, Asim Ghafoor, to three years in prison followed by deportation on charges of money laundering and tax evasion. Ghafoor has rejected the charges and said he had no idea he had been convicted on the charges at some point in the past, in absentia.

Policemen arrested him at Dubai airport on Thursday as he was transiting to Istanbul for a wedding and took him to an Abu Dhabi detention center.