One year after the slaying of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi who disappeared inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul. Fundamental questions still lingers in the conscious mind of many on the occurrence of that day, his assassination sent waves of profound shock across the globe. The killing provoked a global scream and a United Nations investigation, at that time a United Nations report settled that there was “credible evidence” that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, masterminded the killing.
Salman recently told CBS that he takes accountability “as a leader” in his country, saying that the murder took place with his knowledge.Adding it’s impossible for “3 million people working for the Saudi government” to convey daily reports to the leader “or the second-highest person in the Saudi government.“
A proper tribute was paid to Khashoggi Hatice Cengiz, who is a Turkish citizen and Khashoggi fiancee gathered with prominent activists and friends for a official commemoration that began at precisely 1:14 p.m. (6:14 a.m. ET) Wednesday outside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, signifying the key moment that Khashoggi entered the building, never to surface.
“Why was Jamal killed and why has the public not been informed about the death until now?” Cengiz said in an interview with The Associated Press. “For instance, we don’t know where the body is. His funeral prayers have not been performed. There has been no burial.“She added.
In the past year since Khashoggi’s killing, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has asked the local U.S. government and the U.N. to pursue needed transparency and justice for Khashoggi murder.
On her part ,British barrister Baroness Helena Kennedy spoke to BBC BBC’s Panorama programme about audio transcript that recorded the murder
Kennedy said”The horror of listening to somebody’s voice, the fear in someone’s voice, and that you’re listening to something live. It makes a shiver go through your body.”
Kennedy presented specific records of the conversations she heard between members of the Saudi hit squad.
“You can hear them laughing. It’s a chilling business. They’re waiting there knowing that this man is going to come in and he’s going to be murdered and cut up.”
Khashoggi’s last posthumously issued Post column concluded with a call for freedom of expression in the Arab world supported by an independent news media.
“The Arab world needs a modern version of the old transnational media so citizens can be informed about global events. More important, we need to provide a platform for Arab voices. We suffer from poverty, mismanagement and poor education. Through the creation of an independent international forum, isolated from the influence of nationalist governments spreading hate through propaganda, ordinary people in the Arab world would be able to address the structural problems their societies face'”.
Timeline for Khashoggi murder according to the BBC :
2 October 2018
Jamal Khashoggi enters the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. His fiancée Hatice Cengiz waits outside, but Khashoggi doesn’t emerge.
4 October 2018
In its first statement, Saudi Arabia says Khashoggi disappeared after leaving the consulate, and that it is trying to establish what happened to him.
6 October 2018
Khashoggi’s employers, the Washington Post, report that Turkish intelligence believes he was killed inside the consulate by a 15-man team sent from Saudi Arabia.
10 October 2018
CCTV footage showing the alleged hit squad arriving in Turkey is aired by Turkish media.
13 October 2018
Saudi Arabia attacks “lies and baseless allegations” and repeats it did not kill Khashoggi. The BBC learns Turkey has an audio recording indicating he was killed in the consulate.
15 October 2018
Donald Trump speaks to Saudi King Salman, who denies his country killed Khashoggi. Trump suggests “rogue killers” may be responsible.
20 October 2018
For the first time, Saudi Arabia admits Khashoggi is dead, claiming he died in a fight. This is met with wide scepticism. Two senior Saudi officials are fired.
22 October 2018
Saudi Arabia gives a new account, denying reports that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the killing, saying Khashoggi was murdered in a “rogue operation”. Footage emerges of a body double leaving the Saudi consulate dressed in Khashoggi’s clothes.
16 November 2018
The Washington Post reports the CIA has concluded Mohammed bin Salman ordered the killing. Trump later contradicts this, saying the CIA did not conclude the crown prince was responsible.
22 November 2018
France, like Germany and the UK, bans all the Saudi suspects from its territory. Germany also stops arms sales to Saudi Arabia.
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