'Turkey Should Seek UN Inquiry on Khashoggi'

* Photograph: Ahmet Bolat - İstanbul / AA

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The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Human Rights Watch (HRW), Amnesty International and Reporters Without Borders (RSF) have published a joint statement about the Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, whose whereabouts has not been known since October 2, when he was last seen while entering the Consulate General of Saudi Arabia in İstanbul.

In the statement, a call has been made to Turkey to seek the inquiry of the United Nations (UN) to find out the fate and whereabouts of Khashoggi.

Emphasizing that "the investigation should determine the circumstances surrounding Saudi Arabia's role in the enforced disappearance and possible killing of Khashoggi," the statement has also added, "The investigation should aim to identify everyone responsible for ordering, planning, and executing any operations connected with the case."

"A senior criminal investigator should be appointed"

In the statement, it has been demanded that "a senior criminal investigator with extensive experience in international investigations" should be appointed by the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to lead the investigation team.

The statement has also requested that after the related investigation has been completed, Guterres "should issue a public report on the overall findings along with his recommendations for following up."

In the joint statement of the four organizations, it has been emphasized, "Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and all other UN member countries should fully cooperate with the UN investigation to ensure that it has all the access and support necessary to determine what happened to Khashoggi."

What happened?

The whereabouts of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who has been a columnist at Washington Post newspaper and a citizen of Saudi Arabia, has not been known since October 2, 2018 at 1 a.m., when he was last seen while entering the Consulate General of Saudi Arabia in İstanbul.

Reuters news agency and journalists from Turkey as well as the Chair of Turkish-Arabic Media Association Turan Kışlakçı claimed that Khashoggi was killed and his body was taken out of the consulate.

Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Hami Aksoy announced that the officials in the General Consulate of Saudi Arabia accepted the request of Turkey to make an investigation at the consulate.

The İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office also assigned a deputy chief prosecutor and a chief public prosecutor to conduct the judicial processes in the investigation that has been launched by Turkey after the journalist, who has allegedly been killed, was reported to be missing. (AS/SD)