MYSTERY shrouds the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi when Turkish authorities didn’t revoke their claim that he was killed inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul amid strong denials by the Saudi government. The Turkish newspaper “Sabah” yesterday reported that Khashoggi may have recorded his own death by his Apple Watch. It said Khashoggi turned on the recording function of his smart watch before walking into the Saudi consulate on October 2.
The moments of his “interrogation, torture and killing were audio recorded and sent to both his phone and to iCloud,” the newspaper reported. Conversations of the men involved in the reported assassination were recorded. Security forces leading the investigation found the audio file inside the phone Khashoggi left with his fiancé, according to the newspaper.
However, it is not yet sure how and by whom the killing episode was exposed while efforts to locate Khashoggi’s body are ongoing. Saudi Arabia firmly says he left the consulate that afternoon. His fiancée, Hatice Cengiz, who was waiting outside the consulate, says she did not see him re-emerge. Turkey has called on Saudi officials to provide evidence that he left the consulate, as they claim.
Meanwhile, international pressure has mounted on Saudi Arabia to explain what happened to Khashoggi, a former Saudi royal insider who became a critic of the regime and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The business world has also signaled its disquiet, with British tycoon Richard Branson saying he’s pulling back from two tourism projects in Saudi Arabia and has suspended discussions with Riyadh about a $1 billion investment in Virgin’s space companies. US President Donald Trump has also said he plans to talk to King Salman “pretty soon” in this connection.
International media reported that Khashoggi had rejected a number of lucrative offers and recently he became much sharper critic of the Saudi government, its domestic policy and its involvement with the crisis with Qatar.
Whatever it is — a forced disappearance or secret killing; we don’t believe it can be a way of any regime to oppress anyone if he criticizes the government’s policy and works. Freedom of speech should be ensured and journalism should be above all oppression.
The moments of his “interrogation, torture and killing were audio recorded and sent to both his phone and to iCloud,” the newspaper reported. Conversations of the men involved in the reported assassination were recorded. Security forces leading the investigation found the audio file inside the phone Khashoggi left with his fiancé, according to the newspaper.
However, it is not yet sure how and by whom the killing episode was exposed while efforts to locate Khashoggi’s body are ongoing. Saudi Arabia firmly says he left the consulate that afternoon. His fiancée, Hatice Cengiz, who was waiting outside the consulate, says she did not see him re-emerge. Turkey has called on Saudi officials to provide evidence that he left the consulate, as they claim.
Meanwhile, international pressure has mounted on Saudi Arabia to explain what happened to Khashoggi, a former Saudi royal insider who became a critic of the regime and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The business world has also signaled its disquiet, with British tycoon Richard Branson saying he’s pulling back from two tourism projects in Saudi Arabia and has suspended discussions with Riyadh about a $1 billion investment in Virgin’s space companies. US President Donald Trump has also said he plans to talk to King Salman “pretty soon” in this connection.
International media reported that Khashoggi had rejected a number of lucrative offers and recently he became much sharper critic of the Saudi government, its domestic policy and its involvement with the crisis with Qatar.
Whatever it is — a forced disappearance or secret killing; we don’t believe it can be a way of any regime to oppress anyone if he criticizes the government’s policy and works. Freedom of speech should be ensured and journalism should be above all oppression.
