Amnesty International: UN Should Launch Investigation into Khashoggi Murder

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Amnesty International made a statement for the press in front of the Consulate General of Saudi Arabia in İstanbul today (January 10) on the occasion that it has been 100 days since journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered inside the consulate building. 

After the statement for the press, which was also attended by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Representative to Turkey Erol Önderoğlu, the name of Akasyalı Street, where the Consulate General of Saudi Arabia is located, was symbolically changed to "Jamal Khashoggi Street."

Reading out the statement for the press, Campaigns Director for the Amnesty International Turkey Göksu Özahıshalı emphasized that Jamal Khashoggi was the defender of freedom of expression in the Arab world and demanded justice for the deceased journalist.

The statement also indicated that Khashoggi was subjected to enforced disappearance by Saudi authorities and his body has still not been found.

"UN should launch an investigation"

Referring to "the rights violations suffered by peaceful activists, journalists and academics in Saudi Arabia" in its statement, Amnesty International underlined that "the Saudi authorities have been intimidating and spreading terror among rights defenders, journalists and dissidents in different countries of the world through the murder of Khashoggi."

The organization stated, "As Amnesty International, we are, once again, making a call to the United Nations (UN) to launch an investigation into Khashoggi murder as well as other incidents of torture, crimes and rights violations committed as part of this murder."

Changing the name of the Akasyalı Street to Jamal Khashoggi Street, Amnesty International Turkey stated that they repeated their justice demand for Jamal Khashoggi with this symbolic act.

"Investigation in Turkey should be supported"

Speaking to bianet after the statement for the press, RSF Representative to Turkey Erol Önderoğlu emphasized that the international community should take supportive steps for the investigation in Turkey:

"It has been 100 days since Jamal Khashoggi was murdered. His body has still not been found. In order to disrupt the investigation in Turkey, Saudi Arabia has been seeking to hang the ones, whom it has identified as defendants, in a hurriedly convened court, and obfuscate the truths.

"If this investigation is not turned into an independent and impartial investigation conducted by the international community, I am afraid we will never be able to learn what really happened in Khashoggi murder."

Within this context, Önderoğlu emphasized that the investigation launched in Turkey should be supported by international community, particularly the UN. (HA/SD)