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The Washington Post newspaper has shared the photograph of its columnist Jamal Khashoggi, who is a citizen of Saudi Arabia and whose whereabouts has not been known since he entered the Consulate General of Saudi Arabia in İstanbul on October 2. In the photograph, the journalist, who has allegedly been killed, is seen to be entering the consulate building.
The photograph, which has been published in a news report prepared by Souad Mekhennet and Loveday Morris, seems to be taken from a surveillance camera located at the entrance to the consulate.
Speaking to the fiancee of the journalist, Hatice Cengiz, about the incident, the newspaper has conveyed the following statement of Khashoggi: "I no longer feel like I am really alive. I cannot sleep. I do not live."
Turkey has requested search warrant
As part of the investigation that has been launched by Turkey after the journalist was reported to be missing, the police officers of the İstanbul Security Directorate have been examining the video footages captured by surveillance cameras in the vicinity.
Turkey has also submitted a request for a search warrant to the Consulate General of Saudi Arabia. As for Saudi Arabia, it has been claiming that Khashoggi left the consulate on October 2.
Reuters has alleged that journalist Jamal Khashoggi has been killed.
Trump: Nobody knows anything about it
Speaking about the incident and the ensuing allegations, US President Donald Trump said,
"I am concerned about that. I do not like hearing about it and hopefully that will sort itself out. Right now, nobody knows anything about it. There is some pretty bad stories about it. I do not like it."
The US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also stated,
"We call on the government of Saudi Arabia to support a thorough investigation of Mr. Khashoggi's disappearance and to be transparent about the results of that investigation."
Erdoğan: Claimant is obliged to prove its claim
Speaking about the incident during his state visit to Hungary, President and Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan addressed Saudi Arabia with the following remarks:
"You have cameras. Why don't you prove it? The consulate officials cannot save themselves by saying 'he got out of the consulate'. If he had gotten out of the building, you will prove it with video footages.
"The claimant is obliged to prove its claim. If he had gotten out of the consulate, you have to prove it with footages, you will prove it."
About Jamal Khashoggi
Journalist and writer Jamal Khashoggi is known for his opposing views about the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman and he has been writing at the Washington Post about this issue.
After he expressed his criticisms about the reforms introduced by bin Salman and drew reactions, he left Saudi Arabia in 2017 and moved to the US.
He worked as Director General and Editor-in-Chief at the Al Arab Media Group. He was also a media consultant at the Saudi Arabia Embassy in England. (AS/SD)
