Türkiye confirms Saudi journalist strangled, dismembered
Türkiye has officially said for the first time that journalist Khashoggi was strangled as soon as he entered the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul in a planned murder.
October 31, according toGuardianIrfan Fidan, Istanbul's chief prosecutor, confirmed that journalist Jamal Khashoggi was strangled and his body was dismembered for disposal. This is the first time Turkish officials have officially spoken out about how the journalist was murdered.
Türkiye's move undermines Saudi Arabia's assertions that Khashoggi died in a fight when he went to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to collect documents for his upcoming wedding on October 2.
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Turkey confirmed that journalist Jamal Khashoggi was strangled and dismembered. Photo:PA. |
Prosecutor Fidan added that talks this week between him and his Saudi counterpart, Saud al-Mojeb, had been fruitless.
“Despite our good-faith efforts to uncover the truth, we have not achieved any concrete results,” local media quoted the prosecutor as saying.
On October 25, Saudi Arabia's public prosecutor admitted that the murder of journalist Khashoggi was premeditated. Mr. Khashoggi was a Washington Post columnist and frequent critic of the Saudi government and Crown Prince Salman.
The information contradicts the Saudi government's previous statement that Mr. Khashoggi died in an accident.
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Turkish forensic officers collect evidence after a search of the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul. Photo:AFP. |
According toGuardianSaudi Arabia's constant change of explanation for the Khashoggi assassination has failed to convince Türkiye and the international community. With Riyadh admitting that Khashoggi's death was premeditated, observers are questioning who in Saudi Arabia had the authority to order an international assassination.
The shocking incident involving the mysterious disappearance of journalist Khashoggi has caused a wave of outrage around the world, straining relations between Saudi Arabia and many countries, especially the Saudi-US relationship.
This latest move by Türkiye shows that it is likely that officials will continue to release information in small doses and that more evidence will be revealed.
