Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi

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Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi

Jamal Khashoggi in March 2018

Location of the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, where the

assassination took place[1]

Location Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey

41.0860°N
Coordinates
29.0121°ECoordinates: 41.0860°N
29.0121°E

Date 2 October 2018

Some time after 1 p.m., when
Khashoggi entered the Saudi
consulate[1][2]

Victim Jamal Khashoggi

Suspected 15-member team of Saudis, directed
perpetrators
by Mohammad bin Salman and led
by Ahmad Asiri[1][3][4]

Motive Allegedly to remove a prominent

dissident and critic of the Saudi
leadership[1][5]

Inquiry Ongoing

The assassination of Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi dissident, journalist for The Washington Post and former
general manager and editor-in-chief of Al-Arab News Channel, occurred on 2 October 2018 at the
Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey and was perpetrated by agents of the Saudi Arabian
government.[6][7] The exact cause of his death is unknown since his body has never been located or
examined.[8][9] Government officials of several countries, including Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United
Kingdom, France, and Germany, believe Khashoggi was murdered. Turkey in particular believes it
was premeditated murder and anonymous Saudi officials have admitted that agents affiliated with the Saudi
government killed him.[8][10]
Khashoggi had entered the consulate in order to obtain documents related to the marriage he and his
fiancée were planning. Because no security camera footage of him exiting the building could be
found,[11] he was declared a missing person[12] amid news reports claiming that he was assassinated and
dismembered inside the consulate.[13][14] When the disappearance of Khashoggi was first reported by the
news media, Saudi Arabia claimed he had left the consulate and denied having any knowledge about his

1
fate.[2] Turkish media published evidence suggesting that Khashoggi never came out of the consulate.
Saudi Arabia subsequently denied any involvement in his disappearance.[15]
The international community called for accountability of those responsible for the killing and more clarity on
the case from Saudi authorities.[16]Meanwhile, the Turkish authorities reported various facts to news media
from the ongoing investigation of the case that refuted Saudi claims.[17]Saudi Arabia was placed under
unprecedented scrutiny, and economic and political pressure from the international community to disclose
the facts.[18] An inspection of the consulate, by Saudi and Turkish police, took place on 15 October. Turkish
prosecutors reported they found evidence of tampering during the inspection and evidence that supported
the belief that Khashoggi had been killed.[19] 18 days later the Saudi government changed their position
from no involvement, and admitted that Khashoggi died inside the consulate due to strangulation after an
argument and fistfight.[15] Saudi Arabia's foreign minister called it a "rogue operation".[20][8]
Eighteen Saudis were arrested, including the team of 15 operatives which an anonymous Saudi official
claimed General Ahmad Asiri sent to confront Khashoggi and, if necessary, detain him for return to Saudi
Arabia.[21][22][23] On 19 October the Saudi prosecutor stated that the Saudi-Turkey joint team of investigators
found evidence indicating the suspects acted with premeditated intent. The Saudi Royal family have denied
ordering or sanctioning the killing.[8] On 31 October, Istanbul's chief prosecutor released a statement stating
that Khashoggi had been strangled as soon as he entered the consulate building, and that his body was
dismembered and disposed of.[24]
Turkish officials released an audio recording of Khashoggi's killing they alleged contained evidence that
Khashoggi had been assassinated on the orders of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.[6] Several
days later, on 16 November 2018, Central Intelligence Agency members who internally analyzed multiple
sources of intelligence concluded that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered Khashoggi's
assassination.[1] On 20 November 2018, US President Donald Trump disputed the CIA assessment and
stated that the investigation into Khashoggi's death had to continue.[25]
On 15 November 2018, the Saudi prosecutor's office said eleven Saudi nationals had been indicted and
charged with murdering Khashoggi and that five of them would face the death penalty, since it had been
determined they were directly involved in "ordering and executing the crime". It alleged that shortly after
Khashoggi entered the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, he was bound and then injected with a
fatal sedative overdose. His body was dismembered and removed from the consulate by five suspects and
given to a local collaborator for disposal. Saudi officials continued to deny that the Saudi Royal Family was
involved in, ordered, or sanctioned the killing.[26][27]
Germany, Norway and Denmark[28] have stopped the sale of arms to Saudi Arabia over the incident, and
Canada is considering freezing its arms deal.[29]
On 11 December 2018, Jamal Khashoggi was named Time Magazine's person of the year for his work in
journalism along with other journalists who faced politcal persecution for their work. Time Magazine
referred to Khashoggi as a "Guardian of the Truth".[30][31][32]

Main article: Jamal Khashoggi

4 June 2009 − after his speech A New Beginning at Cairo University, U.S. President Obama participates in
a roundtable interview with, among others, Jamal Khashoggi, Bambang Harymurti, and Nahum Barnea

Khashoggi was a Saudi journalist,[7] author, and a former general manager and editor-in-chief of Al-Arab
News Channel.[9] He also served as editor for the Saudi newspaper Al Watan, turning it into a platform for
Saudi progressives.[33]
Khashoggi fled Saudi Arabia in June 2017 and went into self-imposed exile in the US. He became a
frequent contributor to publications like the Washington Post's global opinions section and continued to
criticize the Saudi government from afar. He had been sharply critical of Saudi Arabia's crown
prince, Mohammad bin Salman, and the country's king, Salman of Saudi Arabia.[7] He also opposed
the Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen.[34]
He said, "The government banned me from Twitter when I cautioned against an overly enthusiastic
embrace of then-President-elect Donald Trump."[35]In September 2017 the Washington Post published the
first column by Khashoggi in its newspaper, in which he criticized the prince and the kingdom's direction
and advocated for reform in his country. Since Khashoggi's collaboration with the Washington Post he was
a victim of harassment via Twitter from pro-regime bot accounts commonly known as "the electronic

2
flies".[36] The "lord of the flies", the man who ran social media for crown prince Mohammed, was Saud al-
Qahtani. The crown prince Mohammed ordered a zero-tolerance campaign against dissent spearheaded by
Qahtani, who is implicated in the murder of Khashoggi.[37][38]
Right before his assassination, Khashoggi was launching projects to combat online abuse in an attempt to
consolidate the opposition and to try to reveal that crown prince Mohammed was mismanaging the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Khashoggi collaborated with Omar Abdelaziz, one of most visible public
critics of the Saudi regime abroad who had received asylum in Canada, on a range of projects. One project
was named Geish al-Nahl ‫( جيش النحل‬Army of the Bees or The Bees Army). They wanted to create a
counterpoint to the regime's propaganda machine — "a network of pro-democracy activists who would post
and amplify one another's messages about Saudi political issues".[39] Abdulaziz said they wanted "to talk
about the dissidents, the political prisoners, freedom of speech, human rights" and "make people aware of
what's really happening".[39] And Bee Movement should also provide cybersecurity to "people living in Saudi
Arabia and other oppressive regimes in the Middle East" in need of a safe way to express
themselves.[40] As Khashoggi wrote in his last, posthum published, column, he was of the opinion that
"What the Arab world needs most is free expression".[41][42]
Khashoggi and Abdelaziz were also working on a short film, showing how the Saudi leadership was
dividing the country, a website tracking human rights and the new foundation "Democracy for the Arab
World Now" (DAWN) Khashoggi was forming. They tried to keep their work secret from Saudi persecution.
In late September 2018, Khashoggi met with friends in London to discuss his various plans.[43]
In summer 2018, Abdulaziz's cellphone was infected with a surveillance tool. This was first revealed on 1
October 2018 in a detailed forensic report by Citizen Lab,[44] a University of Torontoproject that investigates
digital espionage against civil society. Citizen Lab concluded with a "high degree of confidence" that his
cellphone was successfully targeted with NSO Group's Pegasus spyware and attributed this infection to a
operator linked to "Saudi Arabia's government and security services"".[44] NSO's Pegasus, of which KSA
has emerged as one of its biggest operators, is one of the most advanced spyware tools available. It is
designed to infect cell phones without being detected. Among other known cases, KSA is believed to have
used NSO software to target London-based Saudi dissident Yahya Assiri, a former Royal Saudi Air Force
officer and founder the human rights organisation ALQST and an Amnesty International researcher.[45][46]
Through their sophisticated spyware attack on Abdulaziz's phone, the Saudi regime would have had a
direct line into Khashoggi's private thoughts, and access to hours of conversations between the two men.
Abdulaziz recalled: "Jamal was very polite in public, but in private, he spoke more freely — he was very
very critical of the crown prince."[47]
On 21 September, just eleven days before Khashoggi was murdered in the Saudi consulate, he made a
declaration of support for the Bees Movement. Using the Bee Army's first hashtag "what do you know about
bees" he tweeted "They love their home country and defend it with truth and rights".[40]
Marc Owen Jones, an assistant professor at Hamad Bin Khalifa University in Doha who researched Arab
propaganda and has monitored Saudi Twitter bots for two years, said he has seen a massive surge in pro-
regime Twitter activity, and in the creation of troll accounts, since Khashoggi went missing: "There was
such a huge spike in October in bot accounts and the use of the hashtags praising the crown prince, it's
absurd".[40]
After Khashoggi's assassination, the Saudi cyber-operations were the focus of global scrutiny.
The Government of Canada started an investigation in to those malicious cyberattacks.[48]
In December 2018 Omar Abdulaziz granted CNN access to his text messages with Jamal Khashoggi,
where the two discussed their sharp criticism and political opposition to Mohammed bin
Salman.[49][50] Abdulaziz filed a lawsuit against an Israeli company NSO Group Technologies that allowed
his smartphone to be taken over and his communications to be spied on by the Saudi regime.[51]
US intelligence reports[edit]
The Washington Post reported on 10 October 2018 that U.S. intelligence intercepted communications of
Saudi officials discussing a plan ordered by the Crown Prince Bin Salman, to capture Khashoggi from his
home in Virginia.[52][53] The intercepted communications were regarded as significant because Khashoggi
had bought a home in McLean, Virginia,[54] where he lived after fleeing the KSA. Khashoggi had obtained
an O visa — also known as the "genius" visa, that offers individuals of "extraordinary ability and
achievement" in the sciences, arts, education, and other fields and are recognized internationally — he had
applied for permanent residency status, and three of his children were US citizens. [55][56] As a legal resident
of the United StatesKhashoggi was entitled to protection. Under a directive adopted in 2015, the US
intelligence community has a "duty to warn" people — including those who are not US citizens — who are

3
at risk of being kidnapped or killed. This directive was a central aspect of the conversation about the US's
response to Khashoggi's disappearance.
Khashoggi had applied for U.S. citizenship[57] and was offered and he accepted a position as a fellow at
the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars (or Wilson Center), located in Washington, D.C.[58]
According to the National Security Agency (NSA) officials, the White House was warned of this threat
through official intelligence channels.[59] The Office of the Director of National Intelligence(DNI) of Dan
Coats declined to comment on why Khashoggi was not warned.[56] 55 members of Congress demanded in
a letter clarity from DNI Dan Coats on what the intelligence community knew about the risk Khashoggi
faced before his disappearance and whether American officials attempted to notify him that his life was in
danger. In the letter, they sought insight into everything the NSA knows about phone calls and emails from
Saudi officials on the Khashoggi case.[60]
The Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University filed a lawsuit against five US intelligence
services "seeking immediate release of records concerning U.S. intelligence agencies' compliance or non-
compliance with their 'duty to warn' reporter Jamal Khashoggi of threats to his life or liberty".
The Committee to Protect Journalists joined the legal effort.[61][62]

Disappearance[edit]

Saudi Arabian activist Ghanem al-Dosari at a protest outside the Natural History Museum, London 11
October 2018, after the disappearance of Jamal Kashoggi. The Saudi embassy was holding a Saudi
National Day celebration at the museum

The Saudi consulate in Istanbul, 16 October 2018, after Khashoggi's disappearance

Over the year 2017, the House of Saud appealed to Khashoggi to return to Riyadh and resume his services
as a media advisor to the royal court. But he declined in fear that it was a ruse and that upon returning he
would be imprisoned or worse. Khashoggi met with crown prince Mohammed's brother Prince Khalid at
the Saudi embassy in Washington, in "early 2018 or late 2017."[63] In September 2018 Khashoggi visited
the Saudi embassy in Washington to retrieve paperwork for his pending marriage to his Turkish fiancée,
Hatice Cengiz, he tried to complete everything in the U.S. but was instead lured to the Saudi Arabian
consulate in Turkey, where his fiancée lived.[64][65]
Khashoggi's first visit to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul was on 28 September 2018 — where he showed
up unannounced. Having divorced his wife, who had remained in Saudi Arabia, he went to the consulate to
obtain a document certifying that he was no longer married so he could marry his Turkish fiancée. Before
that visit he "sought assurances about his safety from friends in the US" and instructed his fiancée to
contact Turkish authorities if he failed to emerge.[66] He received a warm welcome from officials, and was
told to return to the consulate on 2 October. "He was very pleased with their nice treatment and hospitality",
she later said.[67] On 29 September Khashoggi traveled to London and spoke at a conference. On 1
October Khashoggi returned to Istanbul, and he told a friend that he was worried about being kidnapped
and sent back to KSA.[68]
Meanwhile, at around 16:30, a three-person Saudi team arrived in Istanbul on a scheduled flight, checked
in to their hotels then visited the consulate, according to President Erdogan. Another group of officials from
the consulate traveled to a forest in Istanbul's outskirts and to the nearby city of Yalova on a
"reconnaissance" trip. Erdogan said a "road map" to kill Khashoggi was devised in Saudi Arabia during this
time. In the night of 2 October, a 15-member group arrived from Riyadh on two private Gulfstream jets.[69]
On 2 October 2018 CCTV showed the suspected agents entering the consulate around noon. Khashoggi
arrived about an hour later, accompanied by his fiancée Cengiz, whom he entrusted with two cell
phones while she waited outside for him.[68][70][71] He entered the consulate, through main entrance, at
around 1 pm.[2] As he had not come out by 4 pm, even though the working hours of the consulate were until
3:30 pm,[72] Cengiz contacted the authorities, phoning Khashoggi's friend, Yasin Aktay, an adviser to
President Erdogan,[73] reported him missing and the police then started an investigation.
The Saudi government said that he had left the consulate[74][75][76] via a back entrance.[77] The Turkish
government first said that he was still inside, and his fiancée and friends said that he was missing.[78]

4
Turkish authorities have claimed that security camera footage of the day of the incident was removed from
the consulate and that Turkish consulate staff were abruptly told to take a holiday on the day Khashoggi
disappeared while inside the building.[79] Turkish police investigators told the media that the recordings from
the security cameras did not show any evidence of Khashoggi leaving the consulate.[80] A security camera
was located outside the consulate's front which showed him entering but not leaving, while another camera
installed at a preschool opposite the rear entrance of the consulate also did not show him leaving.[80]
The disappearance presented Turkish officials with a sharp diplomatic challenge. Jamal Elshayyal reported
Turkish authorities were trying to walk a fine line so as not to damage the Turkish-Saudi relationship:
"There is an attempt by the Turkish government to try to find a way out of this whereby there isn't a full
collapse of diplomatic relations, at least a temporary freeze between Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Because, if
indeed, Turkish authorities can prove unequivocally that Saudi agents essentially murdered a journalist
inside the consulate in Istanbul, it would require some sort of strong reaction."[70] Analysts have suggested
that Khashoggi may have been considered especially dangerous by the Saudi leadership not because he
was a long-time dissident, but rather, a pillar of the Saudi establishment who had been close to its ruling
circles for decades, had worked as an editor at Saudi news outlets and had been an adviser to a former
Saudi intelligence chief Turki bin Faisal Al Saud.[5]

Assassination[edit]
According to numerous anonymous police sources, the Turkish police believe that Khashoggi was tortured
and killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul[81][82] by a 15-member team brought in from Saudi Arabia
for the operation.[83][84] One anonymous police source claimed that the dead body was "cut into pieces" and
quietly moved out of the consulate, and that all of this was "videotaped to prove the mission had been
accomplished and the tape was taken out of the country".[82] Middle East Eye cited an anonymous Saudi
who said the Tiger Squad brought Khashoggi's fingers to Mohammad bin Salman in Riyadh as other
evidence that the mission was successful.[85]
On 7 October, Turkish officials pledged to release evidence showing that Khashoggi was killed. [84] Yasin
Aktay, an adviser to the Turkish president, initially said he believed Khashoggi had been killed in the
consulate,[82] but on 10 October he claimed that "the Saudi state is not blamed here", something that a
journalist for The Guardian saw as Turkey trying not to harm lucrative trade ties and a delicate regional
relationship with Saudi Arabia.[79] Turkey then claimed to have audio and video evidence of the killing
occurring inside the consulate.[86] U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States had asked Turkey
for the recordings.[87] According to "people familiar with the matter", the audio was shared with Central
Intelligence Agency agents; a CIA spokeswoman declined to comment on it publicly.[88]
CNN reported on 15 October that Saudi Arabia was about to admit to the killing, but would claim that it was
an "interrogation gone bad", as opposed to a targeted death squad killing.[89][90] This claim drew criticism
from some, considering that Khashoggi was reportedly dismembered and that his killing was allegedly
premeditated, and the circumstances, including the arrival and departure of a team of 15, included forensic
specialists presumed to have been present to hide evidence of the crime, on the same day.[91]
The next day, Middle East Eye reported that, according to an anonymous Turkish source, the killing took
about seven minutes and forensic specialist Salah Muhammed al-Tubaigy, who had brought along a bone
saw,[92] cut Khashoggi's body into pieces while Khashoggi was still alive, as he and his colleagues listened
to music.[93] The source further claimed that "Khashoggi was dragged from consul general Mohammad al-
Otaibi's office at the Saudi consulate ... Tubaigy began to cut Khashoggi's body up on a table in the study
while he was still alive," and "There was no attempt to interrogate him. They had come to kill him." [92]
The Turkish pro-government newspaper Daily Sabah reported on 18 October that neighbours to the
consul's residence had observed an unusual barbecue party, which the paper suggested might have been
to smoke-screen the smell from the incineration of the dismembered corpse: "We have been living here for
twelve years but I have never seen them having a barbecue party. That day, they had a barbecue party in
the garden."[94]
The Wall Street Journal published reports from anonymous sources that Khashoggi was tortured in front of
top Saudi diplomat Mohammad al-Otaibi, Saudi Arabia's consul general.[95][96]Reuters reported that al-Otaibi
left Istanbul for Riyadh on 16 October. His departure came hours before his home was expected to be
searched in relation to the journalist's disappearance.[97]
On 20 October, the Saudi Foreign Ministry reported that a preliminary investigation showed that Khashoggi
had died at the consulate while engaged in a fight, the first Saudi acknowledgement of Khashoggi's
death.[18] On 20 October Saud al-Qahtani and Ahmad Asiri were announced fired by Saudi Arabia for
involvement in Khashoggi's killing according to the BBC.[98]

5
On 21 October, an anonymous Saudi official said Khashoggi had been threatened with drugging and
kidnapping by Maher Mutreb, had resisted and was restrained with a chokehold, which killed him. [99]
On 22 October, Reuters cited a Turkish intelligence source and a high-ranking Arab with access to
intelligence and links to members of Saudi's royal court and reported that Saud al-Qahtani, the then-top
aide for Mohammed bin Salman, had made a Skype call to the consulate while Khashoggi was held in the
room. Qahtani reportedly insulted Khashoggi, who responded in kind. According to the Turkish source,
Qahtani then asked the team to kill Khashoggi. Qahtani instructed: "Bring me the head of the dog".
According to both sources, the audio of the Skype call is currently with Erdogan.[100]
According to Nazif Karaman of the Daily Sabah, the audio recording from inside the consulate revealed that
Khashoggi's last words were: "I'm suffocating... take this bag off my head, I'm claustrophobic." [101] On 10
December, the details of the transcript of the audio were described to CNN by an anonymous source.[102]
On 16 November, a Hürriyet columnist reported that Turkey has more evidence, including a second audio
recording from the consulate, where the Saudi team review the plan how to execute Khashoggi. He also
reported that: "Turkish officials also did not confirm [Saudi prosecutor's claim] that Khashoggi was killed
after they gave him a fatal dose of drug. They say that he was strangulated with a rope or something like a
plastic bag."[103]

Investigation[edit]

Police cordon, in front of the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, after Khashoggi's disappearance

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo meets with King Salman on 16 October 2018

Hatice Cengiz begged the US government to take action in helping to find her fiance. In her Washington
Post op-ed on 9 October, Cengiz wrote, "At this time, I implore President Trump and first lady Melania
Trump to help shed light on Jamal's disappearance. I also urge Saudi Arabia, especially King Salman and
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, to show the same level of sensitivity and release CCTV footage
from the consulate."[57]
Sabah reported on 11 October that Turkish officials were investigating whether Khashoggi's Apple
Watch would reveal clues as to what happened to him inside the Saudi consulate, examining whether data
from the smartwatch could have been transmitted to the cloud, or his personal phone, which was with
Cengiz.[104]
On the evening of 14 October, President Erdoğan and King Salman announced that a deal had been made
for a "jointing working group" to examine the case.[105] On 15 October the Turkish Foreign Ministry
announced that an "inspection" of the consulate, by both Turkish and Saudi officials, would take place that
afternoon.[106][107] According to an anonymous source from the Attorney General's office, Turkish officials
found evidence of "tampering" during the inspection, and evidence that supports the belief Khashoggi was
killed.[19] President Erdoğan said that "investigation is looking into many things such as toxic materials and
those materials being removed by painting them over".[108]
According to anonymous sources, Turkish police have expanded the search, as Khashoggi's body may
have been disposed of in nearby Belgrad Forestor on farmland in Yalova Province, as indicated by the
movement of the Saudi vehicles,[109] and DNA tests of samples from the Saudi consulate and the consul's
residence are being conducted;[110] Al Jazeera reported that according to anonymous sources, fingerprints
of one of the alleged perpetrators, Salah Muhammad al-Tubaigy, were found in the consulate.[111]
Confirmation of death[edit]
On 20 October, the Saudi Foreign Ministry reported that a preliminary investigation showed that Khashoggi
had died at the consulate while engaged in a fight, the first Saudi acknowledgement of Khashoggi's
death.[18]
On 22 October, six US and Western officials[112] stated they believed that the crown prince Mohammad bin
Salman, because of his role overseeing the Saudi security apparatus, was ultimately responsible for
Khashoggi's disappearance, and the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Gina Haspel,
departed for Turkey to work on the investigation[113] "amid a growing international uproar over Saudi's
explanation of the killing".[114] The Governor of İstanbul's office said that Khashoggi's fiancee, Hatice
Cengiz, had been given 24-hour police protection.[115]

6
Also on 22 October, CNN aired CCTV law enforcement footage from the Turkish authorities, showing the
Saudi agent Mustafa al-Madani, a member of the 15-man team, leaving the consulate by the back
door.[116] He was dressed up in Khashoggi's clothes, except for the shoes. Madani had also put on a fake
beard that resembled Khashoggi's facial hair, his glasses and his Apple Watch.[117][99][118] Madani, who was
of similar age, height, and build to Khashoggi, left the consulate from its back door. [116] He was later seen at
Istanbul's Blue Mosque, where he went to a public bathroom and changed back to his own clothes and
discarded Khashoggi's clothes.[116] Later he was seen dining with another Saudi agent, and the footage
shows him smiling and laughing.[119] An anonymous Turkish official believes that Madani was brought to
Istanbul to act as a body double and that "You don't need a body double for a rendition or an interrogation.
Our assessment has not changed since October 6. This was a premeditated murder, and the body was
moved out of the consulate."[116] The use of the body double might have been an attempt to lend credence
to the Saudi government's first version of events: that Khashoggi walked out through the back not long after
he arrived. But "it was a flawed body double, so it never became an official part of the Saudi government's
narrative", a Turkish diplomat told The Washington Post.[120]
The body double footage bolstered Turkish claims that the Saudis always intended either to kill Khashoggi
or move him back to Saudi Arabia. Ömer Çelik, a spokesman for Turkey's ruling AKP, stated: "We are
facing a situation that has been monstrously planned and later tried to be covered up. It is a complicated
murder."[121]
Saudi Arabia has vowed it will conduct a thorough criminal investigation and deliver justice for Khashoggi,
Turkish investigators have been faced with several delays from their Saudi counterparts. On 22 October,
BBC reported that Turkish police had found a car with diplomatic number plates, abandoned in an
underground car park in Istanbul. The car belonged to the Saudi consulate and permission was sought
from the Saudi diplomats to search the car.[122] Turkish media published a video from 3 October (day after
the disappearance) that apparently showed the staff of the consulate burning documents.[122]
Search of Saudi consul's residence[edit]
On Sunday 7 October, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Saudi Arabian
Ambassador Waleed A. M. Elkhereiji to demand for the second time permission to search the consulate
building.[123] Saudi officials continued to refuse that Turkish police could search the well in the Saudi
consul's garden,[124][125] but granted permission on 24 October (22 days after the
assassination).[126][127][128] Turkish newspaper Hürriyet reported on 26 October that police had found no DNA
traces of Khashoggi in water samples taken from the well.[129][130]
Calling for an international investigation, at the Headquarters of the United Nations in New York City on 25
October, Agnes Callamard, UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions,
explained the Saudi officials implicated in the death of Khashoggi "are high enough to represent the
state".[131] "Even Saudi Arabia has admitted that the crime was premeditated ... From where I sit, this bears
all the hallmarks of extrajudicial executions. Until I am proven otherwise I must assume that this was the
case. It is up to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to prove that it was not."[132]
Saudi public prosecutors visit[edit]
Saudi public prosecutor Saud al-Mojeb arrived in Istanbul on 28 October, days after he contradicted weeks
of official Saudi statements by saying that Khashoggi's murder was premeditated. His trip came amid
Turkish suggestions of "a lack of cooperation by the Saudi side" and alleged "attempts to spoil
evidence".[133] Mojeb held talks on 29 October with Istanbul's chief prosecutor Irfan Fidan at the Çağlayan
courthouse. During the meeting Saudi officials asked for the complete investigation folder, including
evidence, statements and footage. The Turkish investigators presented the probe findings in a 150-page
dossier, but refused to share all the evidence they have compiled in the murder. And they repeated the
request for the extradition of the 18 suspects to Turkey, although the Saudi foreign minister Adel al-
Jubeir insisted on 27 October that the men would be tried on Saudi soil. They also repeated requests for
confirmation on the whereabouts of Khashoggi's body, the identity of the "local cooperator" that the Saudis
claim disposed of the body, and an update on the progress of a Saudi investigation of the 15 Saudi
operatives who visited the Istanbul consulate at the time of the murder. Due the lack of trust between the
two countries the meeting lasted only 75 minutes. Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu stated that
"The whole truth must be revealed" and the visit will help in that direction. He also asked Saudis to
complete the investigation sooner.[134][135]
Mojeb held a second round of talks with Fidan on 30 October, before inspecting the Saudi consulate in
the Levent neighbourhood, where he left after spending a little over an hour.[136][137]According to a source at
the prosecutor's office, Fidan asked Mojeb to conduct another joint search at the consul-general's
residence, because when Turkish investigators first entered the building in mid-October they were not

7
allowed to search three locked rooms and were also not allowed to search a 20-metre (66 ft)-deep well.
The Saudis did not let firefighters descend into the well, and the search ended with police only able to
obtain some water samples.[133]
President Erdoğan said the investigation needs to be completed swiftly: "This needs to be solved now;
there is no point in excuses", and wants an extradition request for 18 suspects detained in KSA to be put on
trial in Istanbul. High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, also urged Saudi Arabia to reveal
the location of Khashoggi's body: "I urge the Saudi authorities to reveal the whereabouts of his body without
further delay or prevarication."[137] Mojeb was accused by Erdoğan of refusal to cooperate during his visit to
discuss the investigation. Erdoğan stated that, "The prosecutor came to Turkey to make excuses, make
things difficult." Mojeb had not shared any information to the Turkish investigators but wanted to take
Khashoggi's mobile phone that was left outside the cosnsulate with his fiancee when he entered.[138]
Dissolving the body[edit]
On 31 October a senior Turkish official told The Washington Post that Turkish authorities were investigating
the theory that Khashoggi's body was destroyed in acid on the grounds of the consulate or at the nearby
residence of the Saudi consul general. The “biological evidence” discovered in the consulate garden
supported the theory.[139] Echoing the claim, Yasin Aktay, an adviser to Erdoğan in his ruling AK Party and a
friend of Khashoggi, hinted in an article in the Turkish newspaper Hürriyet, published on 2 November, that
the body was destroyed by dismembering and dissolving in acid: "We now see that it wasn't just cut up,
they got rid of the body by dissolving it".[140][141][142]
In a Washington Post op-ed Erdoğan described the murder as "inexplicable" and as a "clear violation and a
blatant abuse of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations", arguing that not punishing the perpetrators
"could set a very dangerous precedent." He criticised Saudi inaction against the consul general Mohammad
al-Otaibi, who had misled the media and had fled the country shortly afterwards. He warned that no-one
should dare commit "such acts on the soil of a NATO ally again" and wrote: "As responsible members of
the international community, we must reveal the identities of the puppet masters behind Khashoggi's killing
and discover those in whom Saudi officials — still trying to cover up the murder — have placed their trust...
We know that the order to kill Khashoggi came from the highest levels of the Saudi government." He urged
the international community to uncover the whole truth.[143]
Tampering of evidence[edit]
On 5 November, Daily Sabah reported, quoting a Turkish official, that an 11-member "investigative team"
had been sent by Saudi Arabia to Istanbul on 11 October.[144] Ahmad Abdulaziz Aljanobi a chemist and
Khaled Yahya al-Zahrani, toxicology expert were sent as a part of the investigative team to erase the
evidence and cover up.[145] This was mentioned by the Turkish official as a sign of awareness about the
crime among the top Saudi officials.[138] The Saudi team had visited the consulate everyday between 11 to
17 October.[145] On 15 October, Turkish police were allowed for the first time to enter the consulate.[145]
Audio tapes[edit]
Speaking ahead of his departure for Paris to attend the World War I Armistice centenary Erdoğan
acknowledged the existence of audio recordings in a televised speech on 10 November to maintain the
pressure from the international community on KSA to reveal who ordered the murder of Khashoggi. He
said: "We gave the tapes. We gave them to Saudi Arabia, to the United States, Germans, French and
British, all of them." It was the first time that he disclosed that the three European Union states had heard
the recordings. Reuters reported, quoting two sources with knowledge of the issue,[which?] that Turkey had
multiple audio recordings.[138] These recordings document Khashoggi's tortures and death and also the
conversations from the days prior to the incident that Turkey had uncovered during the course of its
investigation. Based on these recordings, Turkey had concluded from an early stage that the killing was
premeditated. Saud al-Qahtani was reported as having a major role throughout the recording.[138]
While attending the World War I Centennial commemorations in France, Erdoğan discussed with
President Donald Trump how to further respond to the killing. And a further closed-door meeting with
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres of the United Nations took place.[146] President Trump and French
President Emmanuel Macron agreed that more details were needed from KSA on Khashoggi's murder.
Accordingly, they also agreed that the case should not cause further destabilization in the Middle East; and
fallout from the Khashoggi affair could create a way forward to find a resolution to the ongoing War in
Yemen.[147]
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau gave public confirmation that Turkey had shared audio of the
killing with world governments.[148][149] The German government also confirmed it had received information
from the Turkish authorities, but declined to elaborate.[150] The British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt paid

8
an official visit to KSA and called for its cooperation with a "credible" investigation into Khashoggi's
killing.[151]
One of the assassinators were heard to say: "I know how to cut" on the audio tape.[152]
Charges[edit]
On 15 November 2018, the Saudi Prosecutor's Office stated that 11 Saudi Nationals had been indicted and
charged with murdering Khashoggi and that five of the individuals who were indicted would face the death
penalty, since it had been determined they were directly involved in "ordering and executing the crime".
Prosecutors alleged that shortly after Khashoggi entered the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul he was bound and
then injected with an overdose of a sedative that resulted in his death. The prosecutors also alleged that his
body had been dismembered and removed from the consulate by five of those charged in the killing and
given to a local collaborator for disposal. Saudi officials continued to deny that the Saudi Royal Family was
involved in, ordered, or sanctioned the killing.[26][27]
On 16 November 2018, several news organizations including The New York Times and The Washington
Post reported that CIA was unequivocal in assessing with "high confidence" that the crown prince
Mohammad bin Salman ordered Khashoggi's assassination. The agency examined multiple sources of
intelligence, including a intercepted phone call that the crown prince's brother Khalid bin Salman — the
then Saudi ambassador to the United States — had with Khashoggi. A conclusion that contradicted
previous Saudi government claims that the crown prince was not involved. A CIA spokesman and both the
White House and the US State Department declined to comment. The Saudis issued a denial.[1][153]
On 20 November 2018, Trump issued the statement "On Standing with Saudi Arabia"[154] and without citing
further evidence he denied the CIA's conclusion: "Our intelligence agencies continue to assess all
information, but it could very well be that the Crown Prince had knowledge of this tragic event — maybe he
did and maybe he didn't!".[155][25][156] In a series of interviews President Trump said the crown prince denies
his involvement "vehemently" and the CIA only has "feelings" and there is "no smoking gun" in the
death.[157] The next day Hürriyet columnist Abdulkadir Selvi wrote that the "CIA holds 'smoking gun phone
call' of Saudi Crown Prince on Khashoggi murder"[158] and that the Director of the Central Intelligence
Agency Gina Haspel has possession of a intercepted phone call in which crown prince Mohammad is
giving order to his brother Khalid "to Silence Jamal Khashoggi as Soon as Possible". "The subsequent
murder is the ultimate confirmation of this instruction."[159][160][161]
Citing the leaked CIA assessment, The Wall Street Journal reported that Mohammed bin Salman sent at
least 11 text messages in the hours before and after the assassination on 2 October to his closest
adviser Saud al-Qahtani who supervised the 15-man kill-team that was sent to Istanbul, and that Qahtani
was in direct communication with the team's leader in Istanbul. The assessment also noted that
Mohammed bin Salman had told his agents back in August 2017 that Khashoggi could be lured to a third
country, if he could not be persuaded to return to the KSA.[162]

Aftermath[edit]
Three weeks to the day after the death of Khashoggi, on 22 October, his son and brother were summoned
to a photo op with King Salman and the heir to the throne, at the Palace of Yamamah, in Riyadh. Salah bin
Jamal Khashoggi and his uncle Sahel were received by the royals. Pictures of the event went viral, amid
reports that Salah, who lives in Jeddah, has been banned from leaving the country since 2017. A family
friend, Yehia Assiri, described the event as "a serious assault on the family".[163][164] Nick Paton Walsh, a
senior international correspondent, described it as "a remarkable display of the sustained and catastrophic
disconnect between Riyadh and the outside world. As if PR is something you shoot yourself in the foot
with."[165] The next day, 24 October, Salah Khashoggi, who holds dual Saudi-US citizenship, and his family
left Saudi Arabia for the US.[166]

Alleged perpetrators[edit]

Ahmad Asiri (right) and Mohammed bin Salman (left) in 2016

9
Salah Mohammed Al-Tubaigy at Istanbul Airport

Al-Waqt news quoted informed sources as saying that Mohammad bin Salman had assigned Ahmad Asiri,
the deputy head of the Saudi intelligence agency Riasat Al-Mukhabarat Al-A'amah[3] and the former
spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, with the mission to execute Khashoggi inside the Saudi
consulate in Istanbul. Another military officer with a great deal of experience in dealing with dissidents was
the second candidate for the mission.[4] On the same day, Turkish media close to the President published
images of what it described as a 15-member "assassination squad" allegedly sent to kill Khashoggi, and of
a black van later traveling from the Saudi consulate to the consul's home.[167] On 17 October the Daily
Sabah, a news outlet close to the Turkish president, published the names and pictures of the 15-member
Saudi team apparently taken at passport control.[168] Additional details about identities were also reported
along with their aliases.[169] According to one report, seven of the fifteen men suspected of killing Khashoggi
are Mohammed bin Salman's personal bodyguards.[170] The Daily Sabah outlet named and detailed:

 Maher Abdulaziz Mutreb (ar:‫( )ماهر المطرب‬Arabic: ‫( )ماهر عبد العزيز مطرب‬born 1971): a former diplomat in
London, was photographed with Mohammad bin Salman on trips
to Madrid, Paris, Houston, Boston and New York.[171][172]
 Salah Mohammed al-Tubaigy (Arabic: ‫( )صالح محمد الطبيقي‬born 1971): the head of the Saudi Scientific
Council of Forensics.[171]
 Abdulaziz Mohammed al-Hasawi (Arabic: ‫( )عبد العزيز محمد الحساوي‬born 1987): works as one
of Mohammed bin Salman's personal bodyguards.[171]
 Thaer Ghaleb al-Harbi (Arabic: ‫( )ثائر غالب الحربي‬born 1979): a member of the Saudi Royal Guard.[171]
 Mohammed Saad al-Zahrani (Arabic: ‫( )محمد سعد الزهراني‬born 1988): a member of the Saudi Royal
Guard.[171]
 Meshal Saad al-Bostani (Arabic: ‫( )مشعل سعد البستاني‬born 1987, died 2018): according to Al Jazeera,
a Lieutenant in the Saudi Air Force.[173] According to Turkish media, he died in a car accident in Riyadh
on return to Saudi Arabia.[174][175][176]
 Naif Hassan al-Arefe (Arabic: ‫( )نايف حسن العريفي‬born 1986)
 Mustafa Mohammed al-Madani (Arabic: ‫( )مصطفى محمد المدني‬born 1961): Khashoggi's body double leaving
the Saudi consulate by the back door, dressed in Khashoggi's clothes, a fake beard, and his glasses.
The same man was seen at the Blue Mosque, in an attempt to show that Khashoggi had left the
consulate unharmed.[117][119][118]
 Mansur Uthman Abahussein (Arabic: ‫( )منصور عثمان أباحسين‬born 1972)
 Waleed Abdullah al-Shehri (Arabic: ‫( )وليد عبد هللا الشهري‬born 1980)
 Turki Musharraf al-Shehri (Arabic: ‫( )تركي مشرف الشهري‬born 1982)
 Fahad Shabib al-Balawi (Arabic: ‫( )فهد شبيب البلوي‬born 1985)
 Saif Saad al-Qahtani (Arabic: ‫( )سيف سعد القحطاني‬born 1973)
 Khalid Aedh al-Taibi (Arabic: ‫( )خالد عايض الطيبي‬born 1988)
 Badir Lafi al-Otaibi (Arabic: ‫( )بدر الفي العتيبي‬born 1973)

Other alleged abduction attempts[edit]

Following Jamal Khashoggi's killing and mutilation, several other exiled Saudi activists reported that the
Saudi regime attempted to lure them into their embassies.[177][178]
Exiled Saudi activist Omar Abdulaziz said he was approached earlier in 2018 by Saudi officials who urged
him to visit the Saudi embassy in Ottawa, Canada with them to collect a new passport. The Saudi activist
stated that the officials from the Saudi regime, "They were saying 'it will only take one hour, just come with
us to the embassy.'" After Omar Abdulaziz refused, Saudi authorities arrested two of his brothers and
several of his friends in Saudi Arabia.[178] Abdulaziz secretly recorded his conversations with those officials,
which were several hours long, and provided them to The Washington Post.[179]

10
Opposition Saudi scholar Abdullah Alaoudh said he was subjected to a similar plot when he sent in a
passport renewal application to the Saudi Embassy in Washington. Alaoudh said, "They offered me a
'temporary pass' that would allow me to return to Saudi Arabia." Alaoudh suspected a trap and just let his
passport expire.[177][178]
Prominent Saudi women's rights activist Manal al-Sharif also separately reported a similar event during her
exile in Australia, having said: "If it weren't for the kindness of God I would have been [another]
victim."[177][178]
Tiger Squad[edit]
See also: Tiger Squad

This section relies largely or entirely on a single source. Relevant discussion may be
found on the talk page. Please help improve this article by introducing citations to
additional sources. (October 2018)

Middle East Eye published claims from an unnamed source with knowledge of Saudi intelligence agencies
that the murder is part of a larger operation of silently murdering critics of Saudi government by a death
squad named "Tiger Squad", composed of the most trusted and skilled intelligence agents.[citation
needed]
According to the source, the Tiger Squad assassinates dissidents using varying methods such as
planned car accidents, house fires, or poisoning clinics by injecting toxic substances into opponents when
they attend regular health checkups. The alleged group members are recruited from different branches of
the Saudi forces, directing several areas of expertise.[85] According to Middle East Eye, five members were
part of the 15-member death squad who were sent to murder Khashoggi.[85]
The source interviewed by Middle East eye also said the team planned to kill Omar Abdelaziz and claimed
prince Mansour bin Muqrin was assassinated by the squad by shooting down his personal aircraft as he
was fleeing the country on 5 November 2017 and made to appear as an accidental crash.[85]
The Tiger Squad also reportedly killed Suleiman Abdul Rahman al-Thuniyan, a Saudi court judge who was
murdered by an injection of a deadly virus into his body when he had visited a hospital for a regular health
checkup. "One of the techniques the Tiger Squad uses to silence dissidents or opponents of the
government is to 'kill them with HIV, or other sorts of deadly viruses'".[85]

Reactions[edit]
Saudi Arabia[edit]
When the news of disappearance of Khashoggi broke out Saudi Arabia claimed he had left the consulate
and denied having any knowledge about his fate. Turkish media published evidence suggesting that
Khashoggi never came out of the consulate. Saudi Arabia denied any involvement in the case. The
international community called for more clarity on the case from Saudi authorities.[16] Meanwhile, the
Turkish authorities kept leaking facts from the ongoing investigation of the case that refuted Saudi
claims.[17] Saudi Arabia was placed under an unprecedented economic and political pressure from the
international community to disclose the facts on this case.[18]
On 19 October, the Saudi officials admitted Khashoggi died inside the consulate due to strangulation after
an argument and fistfight.[15] Saudi Arabian foreign minister called it a "rogue operation" and on 25 October
the Saudi prosecutor stated that Turkish-supplied evidence indicates the suspects acted with premeditated
intention.[20][8][122]
Initial denial of involvement[edit]
On 3 October, Saudi officials claimed Khashoggi had left the consulate alive, and that he was neither in the
consulate nor in Saudi custody.[180] The Saudis denied having any knowledge of his fate.[181] Saudi Arabia's
Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman claimed Khashoggi left the consulate shortly after the visit.[182]
On 8 October, Prince Khalid bin Salman, brother of the Crown Prince and Saudi Ambassador to the U.S.,
published a letter stating that Khashoggi went missing after leaving the consulate.[180]The English-
language Arab News on 10 October 2018 reported that Prince Khalid "condemns 'malicious leaks and grim
rumors' surrounding Khashoggi disappearance" and that "the reports that suggest that Jamal Khashoggi
went missing in the Consulate in Istanbul or that the Kingdom's authorities have detained him or killed him
are absolutely false, and baseless".[183][184] Saudi Arabia threatened to retaliate "if it is [targeted by] any
action".[185] Turki Aldakhil, the head of Al Arabiya, the Saudi-owned pan-Arab news network based in Dubai,
wrote that "If President Trump was angered by $80 oil, nobody should rule out the price jumping to $100
and $200 a barrel or maybe double that figure." However, the Saudi embassy in Washington said Al Dakhil

11
didn't represent the official position of Saudi Arabia, and Khalid A. Al-Falih, the Saudi energy minister, said
his country "will continue to be a responsible actor and keep oil markets stable". Saudi Arabia is the
world's largest oil exporter.[186]

On 16 October 2018, Saudi Crown Prince met with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to discuss the
Khashoggi case

Saudi Arabia's Office of Public Prosecution tweeted that "producing rumors or fake news [that Saudi
Arabia's government was involved in the disappearance of Khashoggi] that would affect the public order or
public security or sending or resending it via social media or any technical means" is punishable "by five
years and a fine of 3 million riyals".[187][188] Twitter has suspended a number of bot accounts that appeared
to be spreading pro-Saudi tweets about the disappearance of Khashoggi.[189]
Saudi owned channel, Al Arabiya claimed that reports of Khashoggi's disappearance inside the Saudi
consulate have been pushed by Qatar. According to the Saudi daily newspaper Okaz, Qatar has a "50
percent ownership of the [Washington] Post and has influence over its editorial direction". Saudi daily
newspaper Al Yaum has claimed that members of the alleged death squad were, in fact, tourists.[190]
The New York Times reported that on 16 October, Saudi Arabia transferred $100 million to the American
government, purportedly for its stabilization efforts in Syria, on the same day U.S. Secretary of State Mike
Pompeo arrived in Riyadh for the discussion on Khashoggi with the Saudi king, the crown prince, and the
foreign minister. Brett McGurk, the U.S. envoy to the coalition against ISIL, dismissed any connection
between the events and had expected the payment in the fall. Saudi Arabia had pledged the money in
August without confirming any timelines, and it was unclear to one anonymous official if the payment would
ever be made.[191][192] The Washington Post reported that Saudi Arabia has historically made financial
largesse to countries with the aim of gaining support for its foreign policy objectives.[193]
Arrests[edit]
On 19 October, Washington Post reported that Saudi Arabia has arrested 18 people related to the case
without naming them.[18] It has maintained its position denying the involvement of Prince bin Salman or King
Salman. Saudi Arabia dismissed five officials of senior rank due to their alleged involvement with the case,
including bin Salman's court advisor Saud al-Qahtani, and Ahmad Asiri, the deputy chief of the Saudi
intelligence service [194] Maj. Gen. Mohammed bin Saleh al-Rumaih who served as the assistant head of the
General Intelligence Directorate, Maj. Gen. Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Shaya, the head of General Intelligence
for Human Resources; and Gen. Rashad bin Hamed al-Mohammad, the director of the General Directorate
of Security and Protection were also fired.[18]
The official Saudi Press Agency reported the prosecutor's statement that, based on the preliminary
investigation, suspects were found to have traveled to Istanbul to meet Khashoggi, since he had shown an
interest in returning to Saudi Arabia. Further discussion with Khashoggi, "developed in a negative way... led
to a fight and a quarrel between some of them and the citizen... The brawl aggravated to lead to his death
and their attempt to conceal and cover what happened.. "[18]
On 9 November Prince Turki al-Faisal, KSA's ex-intelligence chief said the kingdom would "never accept"
an international investigation into Khashoggi's murder.[195]
On 10 November, Reuters reported quoting intelligence sources that there was no indication of the arrest of
any suspect.[138]
Admission of involvement[edit]
On 20 October, after 18 days of the denial of any involvement with Khashoggi's disappearance, the Saudi
government admitted that he had died in the consulate. The Saudi government had issued a press
statement after the "preliminary investigations" by the public prosecution office in Saudi Arabia. It stated
that the investigations had "revealed that the discussions that took place between [Khashoggi] and the
persons who met him... at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul led to a brawl and a fist fight". This led to his
death followed by the attempts to conceal the evidence.[196][197][198][199]
On 20 October, an anonymous official added that 15 Saudi officials had been sent to confront Khashoggi,
that a confrontation occurred when he saw them, which resulted in him trying to flee, causing a fight that
ended with him being strangled or choked, and a cover-up of the death. No evidence was provided at the
time to support this explanation of events, and no information was given regarding the whereabouts of
Khashoggi's body.[21][200] Five high-ranking officials have been removed from their posts,[201] including Saudi

12
royal court advisor Saud al-Qahtani[202] and deputy intelligence chief Ahmad Asiri,[203] and altogether 18
Saudis have been detained in the kingdom.[22][204][205]
The Saudi government said that it would need another month to investigate the death.[206]
On 21 October, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir, during an interview with Fox News,[207] for the first
time used the term "murder" for the death of Khashoggi. He stated that individuals acted outside the scope
of their authority in a "rogue operation". According to him, it was a tremendous mistake, and further
attempts to cover it up compounded it.[180] He added that Prince Mohammed knew nothing of any plan to kill
Khashoggi and that the whereabouts of his body remained a mystery.[208] He assured Khashoggi's family
that those responsible would be held accountable.[209][122]
Reuters reported that an anonymous government official provided further detail on the death. He said
Khashoggi was allegedly threatened with drugging and kidnapping by Maher Mutreb, resisted and was
restrained with a chokehold, which killed him. Mustafa Madani then left through the back door of the
consulate dressed in Khashoggi's clothes, with his eyeglasses, with his Apple watch and a fake beard to
deceive any observers. Khashoggi's body was rolled up in a carpet and given to a "local cooperator" for
disposal. When questioned about Khashoggi's alleged torture and decapitation, the official said preliminary
findings did not suggest that happened.[117][99]
The official provided Saudi documents indicating the operation was part of a wider initiative to bring
expatriate dissidents home. The original plan was to keep Khashoggi in an Istanbul safe house for a period
where he would be persuaded to return home or eventually released, and Mutreb had overstepped by
threatening a kidnapping. The team then filed a false report indicating they let Khashoggi leave after he
warned of Turkish police interference.[99]
On 25 October, Saudi General Attorney Saud al-Mujeb (ar) said information received from joint working
team of Saudi and Turkish investigators "indicates that the suspects in the incident had committed their act
with a premeditated intention".[210][211]
On 6 October, Al-Jazeera quoted a Turkish official saying that Turkey was informed by Saudi Arabia that it
will pay "diya" (financial compensation for murder or bodily harm, under islamic law) to Khashoggi's sons
and fiancée.[144]
On 20 November Saudi Arabia's foreign minister Adel al-Jubeir said claims by the CIA's assessment that
crown prince Mohammed gave the order to kill Khashoggi are false: "The leadership of the kingdom of
Saudi Arabia, represented by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques (the king) and the crown prince, is a
red line, and we will not permit attempts to harm or undermine them".[212]
Changes to the Royal Court[edit]
After the Khashoggi assassination, multiple reports indicate that the Saudi regime underwent its worst crisis
since the September 11 attacks[213] and the entire House of Saud emerged weakened as a result.[214] The
international outrage added pressure to the already divided royal court over Prince Mohammed's rapid
ascension to power.[214]
On 30 October, former interior minister Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, who was seen by academics
as a figure of special gravitas and as a critic of his nephew Crown Prince Mohammed, returned from his
exile to Riyadh with a private security detail provided by US and UK officials and reassurances for safe
passage from the king. He had been living in London for the last six years.[215][216][217] According to multiple
reports, Prince Ahmed's return was considered the most significant development in the royal family since
the assassination and did suggest the Saudi royal family may be trying to internally restructure the
dynasty.[218][219][220]
Saudi dissident, Prince Khaled bin Farhan, said that if the senior princes Ahmed and Muqrin were to unite
ranks, then "99 percent of the members of the royal family, the security services and the army would stand
behind them" and could restore the reputation of the family, which has been damaged by King Salman's
"irrational, erratic and stupid" rule.[221][222] Saudi sources reported Mohammed bin Salman "Destroyed the
institutional pillars of nearly a century of Al Saud rule: the family, the clerics, the tribes and the merchant
families" which they considered as "destabilizing".[214]
On 3 November, Crown Prince Mohammed released Khalid bin Talal, the younger brother of Alwaleed bin
Talal, after almost a year in prison, which according to Middle East Eye, was an effort to mitigate the effect
of his uncle's return.[223][224] He had refused to make concessions in order to be referred to a court of
law.[225] Their father Prince Talal had been pressing since the 1960s to turn KSA into a constitutional
monarchy.[226]

13
Madawi al-Rasheed, professor at the Middle East Centre at the London School of Economics and Political
Science (LSE) and "an important Saudi intellectual in exile",[227] wrote: "Princes are the only conduit by
which the United States knows how to deal with Saudi Arabia, and no normal diplomatic measures exist for
holding a rogue prince accountable."[228]
According to Reuters, princes from various branches of the Al Saud family opposed the king's favorite son
and campaigned to prevent crown prince Mohammed from becoming king. The succession to the throne in
KSA is decided by the Allegiance Council, a body where each branch of the ruling family selects the heir
they consider fittest to lead.[214]
Turkey[edit]

Protest in front of the Saudi consulate in Istanbul

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan demanded that the Saudi government provide proof for their claims that
Khashoggi left the consulate alive, something that police CCTV did not capture.[229] Neil Quilliam, a senior
research fellow with Chatham House's Middle East and North Africa program, told Business Insider that
"The staccato nature of the Turkish response suggests that they were prepared to offer the Saudis a way
out of the crisis — at least provide them with an off-ramp — but given the Saudi response or lack of it, the
authorities continue to share more and more details."[230]
The politician Numan Kurtulmuş, of the ruling Justice and Development Party, said that "it's not possible for
the Saudi administration to wiggle itself out of this crime if it's confirmed."[231]
On 23 October, President Erdoğan spoke for the first time in public about the assassination of Khashoggi. It
was a long-awaited speech to the Turkish Parliament. Erdoğan gave a minute depiction of the crime from
the Turkish point of view, from the minute Khashoggi entered the consulate on 2 October. He rejected the
Saudi claim of an "accidental killing" and stated that Turkey has strong leads to prove it was a
"premeditated political murder"[232] and a "ferocious murder".[233] Erdoğan also made it clear that for him the
matter was not settled with the arrest of 18 Saudis, 3 of whom were staff at the Istanbul Consulate: "To
blame such a case on some security and intelligence officials would not satisfy us or the international
community", he said. He also added the 18 arrested Saudis would have to be tried in Istanbul. He did not
doubt the sincerity of King Salman. In his speech, Erdoğan did not once mention the crown prince, who is
suspected of ordering the murder. His speech demonstrated that the crisis with Riyadh was far from
over.[234]
On 26 October, the prosecutor's office in Istanbul submitted an extradition request for the eighteen
suspects in the case. President Erdogan asked Saudis to disclose the location of the dead body. He also
argued that the suspects should face trial in Turkey.[194] Foreign minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu told reporters
that he wanted to know where Khashoggi's body is: "There is a crime here, but there is also a humanitarian
situation, the family wants to know and they want to perform their last duty", referring to the family and
friends hopes to bury Khashoggi's body.[235]
On 31 October, a Turkish prosecutor reportedly said that Khashoggi was strangled as soon as he entered
the consulate building, and that his body was dismembered and disposed of. This was the first such
accusation by a Turkish official.[236] His body may have been dissolved in acid, according to Turkish
officials.[237]
On 10 November Erdogan stated that the audio recordings related to the killing were given to Britain,
France, Germany, Saudi Arabia and the United States to maintain the pressure from the international
community over on Saudi Arabia.[138]
United States[edit]
President Donald Trump expressed concern about the fate of Khashoggi,[238] and Secretary of State Mike
Pompeo called on Saudi Arabia "to support a thorough investigation of Mr. Khashoggi's disappearance and
to be transparent about the results of that investigation".[239] After speaking to the Saudi king by phone,
Trump said that Salman "denies any knowledge of whatever may have happened... The denial was very,
very strong. It sounded to me like maybe these could have been rogue killers. Who knows?"[105] On 16
October, Trump dispatched Pompeo to Riyadh to meet with King Salman, where he "reiterated U.S.
concern over Khashoggi's disappearance", while also thanking the king for his "commitment to a thorough,
transparent investigation".[240][241]
The reported killing created a bipartisan uproar in Congress, shaking the foundations of the
close American-Saudi relationship with calls for suspension of military sales. Senior Republican
senator Lindsey Graham's reaction was stern, as he said "there would be hell to pay" if Saudi is involved in
14
the murder of Khashoggi. He further added, "If they're this brazen, it shows contempt. Contempt for
everything we stand for, contempt for the relationship."[242] Chris Murphy, a junior Democratic senator, wrote
that if the reports are true "it should represent a fundamental break in our relationship with Saudi
Arabia."[243] Murphy also called for at least a temporary halt in military support for the Saudi Arabian-led
intervention in Yemen.[244] The United States Congress can block or modify an arms sale.[245]
Former ambassador to Saudi Arabia Robert Jordan said on 12 October that he is "95 percent certain" that
Saudi Arabia killed Jamal Khashoggi.[246]

Riyadh summit: On 20 May 2017, President Donald Trump signed the United States–Saudi Arabia arms
deal.[247]

Senator Rand Paul said that he would attempt to force a vote on blocking future arms sales to Saudi
Arabia.[248] Senator Bob Corker, the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, sent a letter to
Trump over Khashoggi's disappearance. Signed by the entire Committee other than Senator Paul who
prepared his own letter, it "instructs the administration to determine whether Khashoggi was indeed
kidnapped, tortured, or murdered by the Saudi government and, as the Global Magnitsky Act requires, to
respond within 120 days with a determination of sanctions against individuals who may have been
responsible".[184]
Senator Bernie Sanders denounced the Trump administration, saying that "Saudi Crown Prince
Mohammad bin Salman feels emboldened by the Trump administration's unquestioning support."[184]
Trump told journalists: "I know [Senators] are talking about different kinds of sanctions, but [the Saudis] are
spending $110 billion on military equipment and on things that create jobs for this country." [249] Trump, in
responding specifically to the Senate's attempt to block the Saudi arms deal, stated that the blocking of
such a deal "would not be acceptable to me".[250] While opposing trade sanctions, Trump remained open to
the possibility of other forms of what he described as the "severe punishment" of Saudi Arabia. [185]
Senator Richard Blumenthal stated: "All American businesses and nonprofit organizations should review
and re-evaluate their relationships with Saudi Arabia in light of the ... murder, which seemingly could not
have been done without knowledge at the highest levels of its government."[251]
In the wake of Khashoggi's murder, universities and think tanks faced renewed scrutiny over their close ties
to KSA.[252][253][254][255] In March 2018 UC Berkeley, Harvard University, Yale Law School and
the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Media Lab, one of the university's most famous
laboratories, had accepted a visit from crown prince Mohammad bin Salman. At MIT Media Lab he had
demos of war-related technologies like autonomous robots which are used for military purposes, made by a
company called Boston Dynamics, which is an MIT affiliate. The universities had gone out of their way to
keep it secret from the press and the students. Eight months later, his image of a "reformer" was destroyed
forever and MIT was be accused of accepting dirty money that does not fit with its image as an elitist
educational institution.[256] The Brookings Institution — the center-left think tank that is perhaps the capital's
most prominent — announced that it would sever its ties with KSA: "The Brookings Institution has decided
to terminate our sole research grant with the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, effective
immediately".[58]
Former National Security Adviser Susan Rice wrote in The New York Times on 29 October that "As this
litany of lunacy shows, Prince Mohammed is not and can no longer be viewed as a reliable or rational
partner of the United States and our allies." She demanded: "We need to stop privileging Jared Kushner's
relationship with the crown prince, and finally fill the vacant ambassadorship to the kingdom, to engage with
a broader range of senior Saudi officials. President Trump's inexplicable infatuation with Prince Mohammed
must end, and he must recalibrate American policy so that it serves our national interests — not his
personal interests or those of the crown prince."[257]
In Washington, a petition launched to rename the section of New Hampshire Avenue where the Saudi
embassy is located as "Jamal Khashoggi Way".[258] After a memorial service for Jamal Khashoggi in
London on 29 October 2018, his long-time friend Nihad Awad and head of Council on American-Islamic
Relations (CAIR), urged to begin petitions in every city where Riyadh has a diplomatic mission.[259][260][261]
In the letter to President Trump on 31 October a group of Republican senators urged a halt on selling U.S.
nuclear power equipment to KSA. They wrote they have long had reservations about selling nuclear
technology and stressed that the Saudis have balked a 123 agreements — a civilian nuclear agreement
setting non-proliferation standards to prevent the country from building a nuclear weapon by setting limits
on uranium enrichment, as well the reprocessing of spent fuels. The senators called for KSA to accept the
"Gold Standard" for nuclear non-proliferaton enshrined in U.S. agreements, especially in light of President

15
Trump's efforts to block Iran's path to a weapon. In an CBS interview in March 2018, Crown Prince
Mohammed made clear that even if the KSA were not actively pursuing a nuclear weapon, the Saudi
adherence to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty is conditional and could change suddenly.[262][260] Henry
Sokolski, head of the Nonproliferation Policy Education Center, deliberated "any negotiations regarding a
U.S.-Saudi nuclear cooperation agreement should be halted. If the Trump administration refuses to do this,
Congress should make clear, as part of its broader response to the Khashoggi killing, that any agreement
submitted for review will be blocked."[263]
In a phone call with Crown Prince Mohammed on 11 November, Secretary of State Pompeo ″emphasized
that the United States will hold all of those involved in the killing of Khashoggi accountable, and that Saudi
Arabia must do the same″.[264][265]
Visit by Secretary of State Pompeo[edit]
According to CNN, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during his visit to Saudi Arabia had told
Mohammad Bin Salman that "his future as king depends on his handling of Khashoggi's suspected
murder." Pompeo stressed that time is short and went on to tell him "bluntly that if they don't, the US will
have to deal with this", and "will take action because the world will demand it and that President Trump's
hand will be forced by the global pressure".[266] On 15 October The Washington Post reported that U.S.
pressure on Trump has been bipartisan.[267]
Trump said on 19 October that he "would prefer if there was going to be some form of sanction", adding
that "we don't use as retribution canceling $110 billion worth of work, which means 600,000
jobs."[268] According to the New York Times, Jamal Khashoggi's disappearance comes "at a fraught moment
for the Trump administration, which is expected to reimpose harsh sanctions against Iran on November 5,
with the intent of cutting off all Iranian oil exports. But to make the strategy work, the administration is
counting on its relationship with the Saudis to keep global oil flowing... and to work together on a new policy
to contain Iran in the Persian Gulf."[269]
Response of President Trump after confirmation of killing[edit]
Commenting on the Saudi explanation that Khashoggi died inside the consulate after a fight, Trump said he
considered it credible and called the official statement a "good first step".[22] Several Republican senators,
including Marco Rubio, Lindsay Graham, Bob Corker, and Rand Paul, have demanded a definitive
response from the Trump administration towards Saudi Arabia, with the Trump administration yet remaining
unwilling to impose any specific sanctions on the country.[270][271][272] In response to Trump's apparent faith in
the most recently revised official Saudi version of the killing, The Washington Post CEO Fred Ryan said,
"The Saudis cannot be allowed to fabricate a face-saving solution to an atrocity that appears to have been
directed by the highest levels of their government."[273]
In a 20 October interview with the Washington Post, Trump said about changes in the Saudi statements:
"Obviously there's been deception and there's been lies", but he had not seen any evidence confirming the
involvement of the Crown prince so far. When asked about his ways and possibility of sanctions on Saudi
Arabia, Trump did not answer stating it was too early.[274] On 21 October, Trump affirmed to reporters in the
White House that he was "not satisfied" with Saudi Arabia's explanation, criticising their requested one
month to investigate the situation themselves. He said he had "people over in Saudi Arabia now. We have
top intelligence people in Turkey, and we're going to see what we have. I'll know a lot tomorrow." However,
he was hesitant to cancel the arms sale deal with Saudi Arabia.[275] CNN reported that, according to
sources, CIA director Gina Haspel was traveling to Turkey that day in relation to the Turk's Khashoggi
investigation. When asked about this report the CIA did not offer comment.[276]
That day when questioned by reporters at the oval office, Trump said of the Saudis' actions after
Khashoggi's death that "They had a very bad original concept, it was carried out poorly, and the cover-up
was the worst in the history of cover-ups. They had the worst-cover up ever".[277] In an interview with The
Wall Street Journal, Trump said that Mohammad bin Salman may have been behind Khashoggi's
death.[278][279][280] US officials have stated that the killing could not have been done without having the
authorization of Prince bin Salman who is the de facto ruler.[194]According to anonymous US officials, the
CIA has concluded that Mohammed bin Salman ordered the assassination; the conclusion is based on
multiple sources, including a phone call in which Khalid bin Salman, brother of Mohammed bin Salman and
Saudi Ambassador to the U.S., assured Khashoggi would be safe go to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to
retrieve the documents for the marriage. A Saudi Embassy spokeswoman stated "the claims in this
purported assessment are false" and Khalid bin Salman denied talking to Khashoggi by phone or
suggesting that he should to go to Turkey.[281][1]

16
On 13 November 2018, President Trump announced the nomination of retired Army Gen. John
Abizaid as U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, a post that had been vacant for almost two years.[282]
Sanctions on Saudi individuals[edit]
On 23 October, Trump's Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that the US was taking action against
21 Saudi individuals they believed were involved in Khashoggi's death, who will have their visas revoked or
will be made ineligible for one. He also said he talked to the Treasury Department about the applicability of
sanctions against those involved.[283] On 15 November, The US treasury department declared that it has
imposed economic sanctions on 17 Saudi officials who it said had "targeted and brutally killed" Khashoggi,
who lived and worked in the US, and that these 17 individuals "must face consequences for their actions".
The list of sanctioned included Qahtani, Mutreb, and Alotaibi. The declaration stated "Saud al-Qahtani is a
senior official of the Government of Saudi Arabia who was part of the planning and execution of the
operation that led to the killing... This operation was coordinated and executed by his subordinate Maher
Mutreb... The Saudi consulate in Istanbul, where Mr. Khashoggi was killed, was overseen by Consul
General Mohammed Alotaibi."[284]
CIA assessment[edit]
On 16 November 2018, a CIA assessment was leaked to the media[285] that with "high confidence" crown
price Mohammed bin Salman ordered Khashoggi's assassination. Regardless, President Trump continued
disregarded his own CIA assessment.[286] Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House intelligence
committee, who was briefed by the CIA on the assessment stated that President Trump was lying about the
CIA findings.[287] Under mounting pressure from lawmakers who wanted action against KSA, Secretary of
State Mike Pompeo and Defense SecretaryJim Mattis, in a rare closed briefing addressing the Senate,
declared there was no direct evidence linking the crown prince to the Khashoggi's assassination. Many
lawmakers were furious that CIA Director Gina Haspel, the only Trump cabinet member who listened to the
audio recordings of the assassination in Istanbul, did not participate in the briefing, as they had
requested.[288]
After a small group of bipartisan senators were briefed by CIA Director Haspel on 4 December 2018, their
takeaway was dramatically different from that of the admistration. Even leading Republican senators
distanced themselves from President Trump and stated they are certain that Mohammed bin Salman
indeed ordered the assassination.[289] Bob Corker, the Republican chair of the Senate foreign relations
committee, affirmed immediately after the Haspel briefing: "I have zero question in my mind that the crown
prince ordered the killing, monitored the killing, knew exactly what was happening. If he was in front of a
jury, he would be convicted in 30 minutes. Guilty. So the question is, 'What do we do about
that?'".[290][291] Republican senator Lindsey Graham, a close ally of President Trump, emerged from the
Haspel briefing more convinced than ever that Mohammed bin Salman was "complicit". He told reporters on
Capitol Hill that "there's not a smoking gun, there's a smoking saw", in reference to the medical device the
Saudi kill team allegedly used to dismember Khashoggi. He acknowledged: "The crown prince is a
wrecking ball. I think he's complicit in the murder of Mr. Khashoggi to the highest level possible. I think his
behavior before the Khashoggi murder was beyond disturbing. And I cannot see him being a reliable
partner to the United States. If the Saudi government is going to be in the hands of this man for a long time
to come, I find it very difficult to be able to do business because I think he's crazy, I think he is
dangerous."[292][293][294]
A former Saudi intelligence chief and senior member of the Saudi royal family Prince, Turki bin Faisal Al
Saud, dismissed the CIA's finding that Khashoggi's murder was ordered directly by Mohammed bin
Salman, saying that "The CIA has been proved wrong before. Just to mention the invasion of Iraq for
example. The CIA is not necessarily the best measure of creditable intelligence reporting or intelligence
assessment."[295]
United Nations[edit]
On 18 October 2018 at a press conference at the United Nations four major human rights
groups demanded a independent UN investigation into Khashoggi's assassination.[296][297] The Committee to
Protect Journalists (CPJ), Amnesty International (AI), Human Rights Watch (HRW), and Reporters Without
Borders (RSF) called on Secretary-General of the United NationsAntonio Guterres to appoint an
investigator. The UN team should be allowed full access to any sites and allowed to interview witnesses or
suspects without interference. KSA should immediately waive diplomatic protections and Turkey should
turn over all evidence in its possession, including audio and visual records that Turkish officials have
claimed reveal Khashoggi's murder.[298] AI's head of the New York office, Sherine Tadros, pointed to Saudi
Arabia's human rights record: "This incident didn't happen in a vacuum. Jamal Khashoggi is not one case

17
 that is an anomaly. It happened in a context of an increased crackdown on dissent since June 2017 when
the crown prince Mohammed Bin Salman took his position."[299]
CPJ's Deputy Executive Director Robert Mahoney said at the press conference: "This sends an incredibly
chilling signal to journalists around the world that their lives don't matter and that states can have you
murdered with impunity."[299] "UN involvement is the best guarantee against a Saudi whitewash or attempts
by other governments to sweep the issue under the carpet to preserve lucrative business ties with
Riyadh."[300]
Louis Charbonneau, the UN Director at HRW, said: "If in fact it's true, that the most senior members of the
Saudi government were behind the execution and dismemberment of Mr. Khashoggi, then we don't want
the culprits investigating themselves."[299] "Only the UN has the credibility and independence required to
expose the masterminds behind Khashoggi's enforced disappearance and to hold them accountable."[195]
Christophe Deloire, Secretary-General of RSF, wrote: "Any attempt to get rid of the pressure on Saudi
Arabia and to accept a compromise policy would result in giving a 'license to kill' to a Kingdom that puts in
jail, lashes, kidnaps and even kills journalists who dare to investigate and launch debates". [301]
Amnesty, the CPJ, HRW and RSF stated that the Saudi-Turkish investigation group will be unable to make
progress in the face of KSA's denials of any involvement.[298]
On 19 October 2018 Secretary-General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres stated that the confirmation
of the death of prominent dissident journalist has "deeply troubled" him. An official statement said "The
Secretary-General is deeply troubled by the confirmation of the death of Jamal Khashoggi. He extends his
condolences to Mr. Khashoggi's family and friends. ... The Secretary-General stresses the need for a
prompt, thorough and transparent investigation into the circumstances of Mr. Khashoggi's death and full
accountability for those responsible".[302]
Canada[edit]
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said that he has "real concerns" about the disappearance of
Khashoggi.[303] Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland "reaffirmed (Canada's) commitment to
defending freedom of expression and protection of the free press" and raised the issue directly with her
Saudi counterpart, calling for "a thorough, credible and transparent investigation into the serious allegations
about Mr. Kashoggi's disappearance". She added that "Canada remains very troubled by (his)
disappearance."[304]
On 22 October, after preliminary findings of the Saudi investigation emerged, Global Affairs Canada said
"The explanations offered to date lack consistency and credibility." It reiterated Canada's condemnation of
the killing and condolence to the family and urged investigators to work with Turkey toward justice. [305]
When asked about a pending sale of 742 Light Armoured Vehicles to Saudi Arabia in light of Khashoggi's
death and the Yemeni war during question period in Parliament on 22 October, Trudeau said: "We have
frozen export permits before when we had concerns about their potential misuse and we will not hesitate to
do so again."[306] The contract, with London, Ontario's General Dynamics Land Systems Canada, is
estimated at $15 billion.[307] However, Canada will be respecting the export permits that have already been
issued.[308] Canadian ministers and embassy staff had skipped attending the business summit in Riyadh
due to the incident.[309]
At the request of Prime Minister Trudeau spy chief David Vigneault departed for Turkey to work on the
investigation. Vigneault, the director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, listened to the recording
of the Turkish authorities of Khashoggi's assassination and upon his return provided a briefings to Trudeau
as well as other Canadian officials.[310]
Joint statement

 On 24 October, Trudeau had a telephonic conversation with German Chancellor Merkel after
which they released a joint statement reaffirming "their shared commitment to freedom of the press".
Both leaders "strongly agreed on the need for transparency and accountability for those who committed
this act".[309]
The foreign ministers of the Group of Seven (G7) nations called for a thorough and credible investigation,
saying Saudi Arabia must ensure such an incident could never happen again.[311]
Jamal Khashoggi: All you need to know about Saudi journalist's death
 11 December 2018
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Media captionJamal Khashoggi: What we know about the journalist's disappearance and death

On 2 October, Jamal Khashoggi, a well-known journalist and critic of the Saudi government, walked into the
country's consulate in Istanbul, where he was murdered.

Saudi Arabia's public prosecutor has said Khashoggi was killed inside the building on the orders of a rogue
intelligence officer.

Turkish officials however say they have evidence, including gruesome audio recordings, that the journalist was killed
by a team of Saudi agents on orders that came from the highest levels. His body has not yet been found.

The steady stream of disturbing allegations, along with the complex diplomatic situation, means that it can be difficult
to keep track of the full story.

So here is what we know about the case.

Who was Jamal Khashoggi?

As a prominent journalist, he covered major stories including the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the rise of
Osama Bin Laden for various Saudi news organisations.

For decades, the 59-year-old was close to the Saudi royal family and also served as an adviser to the government.

But he fell out of favour and went into self-imposed exile in the US last year. From there, he wrote a monthly column
in the Washington Post in which he criticised the policies of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, known as MBS.

In his first column for the newspaper, Khashoggi said he feared being arrested in an apparent crackdown on dissent
overseen by the prince since he became first in line to succeed his father, King Salman.
 The journalist who vanished into a consulate
 Read excerpts from some of his columns

Why was he at the consulate?

Media captionCCTV footage shows missing Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi entering the Saudi consulate
in Istanbul.

He first visited the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on 28 September to obtain divorce documents to allow him to remarry.

But he was told he would have to return and arranged to come back on 2 October.

"He did not believe that something bad could happen on Turkish soil," his Turkish fiancée, Hatice Cengiz, wrote in
the Post.

He was last seen on CCTV arriving at 13:14 local time for his appointment.

19
He reportedly told friends that he had been treated "very warmly" on his first visit and reassured them that he would
not face any problems.
Image copyrightAFP/GETTY IMAGESImage captionThe journalist's fiancée Hatice Cengiz waited outside for hours

Despite this, he gave Ms Cengiz two mobile phones and told her to call an adviser to Turkish President Recep Tayyip
Erdogan if he did not come back out.

She ultimately waited for more than 10 hours outside the consulate and returned the following morning when
Khashoggi had still not reappeared.

What does Saudi Arabia say?

For more than two weeks Saudi Arabia consistently denied any knowledge of Khashoggi's fate.

Crown Prince Mohammed told Bloomberg News that the journalist had left the consulate "after a few minutes or one
hour".

"We have nothing to hide," he added.

 Who is Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman?
 Did Apple Watch record Khashoggi killing?

In a change of tune, on 20 October, state television reported the journalist had in fact been murdered in a "rogue
operation" on the orders of an intelligence officer.
Image copyrightAFPImage captionThe Saudi consulate initially said Khashoggi had left after completing paperwork

But Saudi officials continued to give conflicting explanations of what happened - among them, that Khashoggi had
died in a chokehold after resisting attempts to return him to Saudi Arabia. There were also reports that a Saudi
operative had donned his clothing and left the premises.

More than a month later, on 15 November, the Saudi public prosecutor said Khashoggi was given a lethal injection
after a struggle and his body was dismembered inside the consulate after his death.

The body parts were then handed over to a local "collaborator" outside the grounds, he added.

What action have they taken?

Saudi Arabia has detained 21 Saudi nationals and dismissed two senior officials - Deputy Intelligence Chief Ahmad
al-Assiri and Saud al-Qahtani, a senior aide to Prince Mohammed.

Saudi King Salman also ordered a restructuring of the intelligence services - to be headed by the crown prince - in the
wake of the initial inquiry.

Eleven people have so far been charged over the journalist's death and the prosecutor is seeking the death penalty for
five of them, although none of those officially charged have been identified.

What does Turkey say happened?

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says there is evidence that the "savage" killing was planned days in advance.

He says three teams of 15 Saudi nationals arrived in Istanbul before the murder and that the group had removed the
security cameras and surveillance footage from the consulate building prior to Khashoggi's arrival.

Turkey says he was immediately strangled and his body dismembered. Turkish media also reported he had been
tortured first.

20
Mr Erdogan says the order to kill Khashoggi came from the highest levels of the Saudi government but says it was
unlikely that King Salman was behind it.

Saudi Arabia has denied the crown prince ordered the killing, and is refusing to extradite to Turkey any of the
suspects.

Is there any evidence?

In mid-November, Turkey said it had shared audio recordings of the killing with Saudi Arabia, US, UK, Germany and
France. While these have not been made public, some details have been leaked by Turkish media.

One pro-government media source, Yeni Safak, said the Saudi consul general could be heard on one tape warning the
alleged agents: "Do this outside. You're going to get me in trouble."
Image copyrightAFPImage captionInvestigators searched Belgrad forest for Khashoggi's body
On 10 December, CNN reported that Khashoggi had told his killers "I can't breathe" in his final moments.

The news outlet, quoting an anonymous source who saw a transcript of the recording, also referenced the sounds of
the critic's body "being dismembered by a saw".

He said one of the voices first heard in the recording was identified as Maher Mutreb, an intelligence official known to
Khashoggi.

Mr Mutreb reportedly told the journalist: "You are coming back." Khashoggi, referring to his fiancée outside, replied:
"You can't do that. People are waiting outside."
 What is Turkey's game with Saudi Arabia and Khashoggi?

Turkey and Saudi Arabia have been conducting a joint investigation, with Turkish officials granted access to the
Istanbul consulate for DNA testing more than two weeks after the incident.

Among the areas searched for Khashoggi's remains are the Belgrad forest, near the consulate, and some farmland in
Yalova - where some Saudi consulate vehicles were seen heading on the day he was killed.

Who are the alleged Saudi agents?

Turkish officials believe the men are Saudi officials and intelligence officers.

They say the group brought a bone saw into the country and that one of its members was a doctor who specialised in
post-mortems.

Four of the men reportedly have links to the Saudi crown prince and another is a senior figure in the country's interior
ministry.
Image copyrightAFP

Most of them arrived at and departed from Istanbul airport by private or commercial jet the same day as the killing.

CCTV footage appears to show vehicles driving them to the consulate, and two hours after Khashoggi's arrival, some
of them heading to the residence of the Saudi consul.
 Who's who in alleged Saudi 'hit squad'

Saudi Arabia has so far pushed back against Turkey's demands to extradite any of the suspects.

How have Saudi Arabia's western allies reacted?

Khashoggi's killing, which has been internationally condemned, has caused a diplomatic crisis between Saudi Arabia
and some of its closest allies, including the US.

After the murder was confirmed by the Saudis, President Trump described it as the "worst cover-up in history".

21
However, as the story has unfolded, he has persistently defended America's ties to the kingdom, a key trading partner
in the region.

Media captionJamal Khashoggi's fiancée: "We didn't say any goodbyes"

This response has been widely derided by senators in Congress who point the finger at MBS and want the US to take
tougher action against Saudi Arabia by halting military sales.

According to US media reports, the CIA - whose boss, Gina Haspell, has heard the tapes - concluded Mohammed bin
Salman was behind the order - though Donald Trump has denied this.
 Analysing Trump's Saudi statement line by line
 Why Saudi Arabia matters to the West

The US, Canada, France and the UK have all levied sanctions against 18 Saudis allegedly linked to the killing -
although this does not include the Saudi crown prince.

Elsewhere, Germany, Finland and Denmark are among European nations to have cancelled arms deals with Saudi
Arabia since the killing.

How did 2 October unfold?

Image copyrightGETTY IMAGES
03:28: The first private jet carrying suspected Saudi agents arrives at Istanbul airport
05:05: The group is seen checking into two hotels near the Saudi consulate building
12:13: Several diplomatic vehicles are filmed arriving at the consulate, allegedly carrying some of the Saudi agents
13:14: Khashoggi enters the building
15:08: Vehicles leave the consulate and are filmed arriving at the nearby Saudi consul's residence
17:15: A second private jet carrying a number of suspected Saudi officials lands in Istanbul
17:33: Khashoggi's fiancée, Hatice Cengiz, is seen on CCTV waiting outside the consulate
18:20: One of the private jets departs from Istanbul airport. The other plane leaves at 21:00

1. Is there an EXTRADITION TREATY between turkey and Kingdom of saudi arabia

Does Turkey have an extradition treaty with Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Arabia and Turkey have no extradition treaty (Source). It's possible, however very
unlikely, that an ad hoc arrangement could be made between the two parties for only this
case. Recently, such an agreement was used to extradite people accused of war crimes
from the UK to Rwanda.
Jamal Khashoggi's murder happened in the Saudi Arabia embassy in Turkey. President
Erdogan wants the 15 men suspects to be tried in Turkey. Is that possible?
Would a treaty be needed? Surely Turkey has the right to ask for extradition. Without a
treaty, Saudi Arabia has the right to refuse, but I would assume they also have the right to
extradite someone. And currently it looks like they might be willing to do that. –
gnasher729 Oct 27 at 15:09

Saudi Arabia won’t extradite suspects in Khashoggi killing to Turkey

The 18 Saudi nationals will be prosecuted in their own country, Saudi foreign minister says.
By CAT CONTIGUGLIA
10/27/18, 1:29 PM CET

Updated 10/27/18, 5:47 PM CET

The suspects in the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi will be prosecuted in Saudi Arabia, the
Saudi foreign minister said Saturday.

His comments come after Turkey said it wanted to extradite 18 Saudi nationals that authorities say were
involved in the murder. However, according to the BBC, speaking at a security conference in Bahrain, Adel

22
al-Jubeir said: "On the issue of extradition, the individuals are Saudi nationals. They're detained in Saudi
Arabia, and the investigation is in Saudi Arabia, and they will be prosecuted in Saudi Arabia."

Speaking at the same conference on a different panel, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said the killing of
Khashoggi undermined Middle Eastern stability and that Washington would take additional measures
against those responsible, Reuters reported.

Saudi Arabia initially denied all knowledge of the journalist's fate, but the Saudi public prosecutor now
describes it as a premeditated murder. However, Riyadh denies the ruling royal family was involved and
blames "rogue agents."

Al-Jubeir, along with Bahrain's Foreign Minister Shiekh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, told the conference
that the Gulf states are playing a critical role in ensuring stability in the region against Iran, Reuters also
reported.

“We are now dealing with two visions in the Middle East. One is a (Saudi) vision of light ... One is a
(Iranian) vision of darkness which seeks to spread sectarianism throughout the region,” al-Jubeir said.

How international law could be used to prosecute Khashoggi's killers

After weeks of lies and misdirection, Saudi Arabia has finally admitted that Jamal Khashoggi died inside its consulate
in Istanbul. The truth, however, is yet to emerge from the fog of deceit. There can be very few people in the around the
world who will accept the Saudi explanation that a fist fight broke out, resulting in Jamal Khashoggi’s death.

The rest of the world still demands answers and the overwhelming evidence points to a deliberate, gruesome
premeditated killing. The allegations of torture, and the butchery of Khashoggi’s body, are particularly shocking. Even
more so if – as many commentators believe – they were deliberately ordered by the state.

A barbaric assassination and dismemberment which the Saudis have attempted to cloak in the shroud of their embassy
and diplomatic immunity? Those crimes would rank amongst the very worst perpetrated in a diplomatic mission in
modern times, with the use of diplomatic premises a terrifying development, indicating that Saudi Arabia has no
regard for international law.

This case shows the legal crossroads that the international community has reached. A perfect storm of politics and law
colliding means decisions as to what to do next are fraught with problems.

There are legal remedies available to Khashoggi’s fiancee though international bodies, but most of the legal
consequences can be dealt with by Turkey. The question is how far Saudi Arabia will cooperate and how far Turkey
will really want to push this issue. It is only if Turkey fails that others will take up the torch.

There are a host of legal measures that could be used bring the perpetrators to justice. Mohammed bin Salman may be
untouchable inside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and practically speaking any punishment meted out to him will
come from within Saudi Arabia. However, international mechanisms can also be brought to bear upon the Saudi
government.

23
Human rights groups have already called upon the United Nations to intercede and conduct a fair and transparent
investigation. There are already a number of UN instruments, such as the Working Group on Disappearances and the
Special Rapporteur for non-judicial executions, who might launch investigations and reports.

While UN findings may not immediately appear to be the most robust of responses to this apparent outrage,
Mohammed bin Salman and the Saudi regime have demonstrated consistently that they are sensitive to outside
criticism, as evidenced by the severing of diplomatic ties with Canada. Any UN finding critical of bin Salman and
Saudi Arabia would be a significant blow to their prestige.

The hit squad itself must also now become a legal target. The US enacted its global Magnitsky Act in 2016, enabling
the US government to impose sanctions after human rights abuses by government officials around the world. They
could stop any of the men gaining visas to travel to the US and ask for support from the EU. This would drastically
reduce the movement of its targets and cause significant financial hardship.

Personal sanctions could be instituted against the men and perhaps broader sanctions restricting trade between Saudi
Arabia and the West.

Many countries, including the UK, subscribe to the doctrine of universal jurisdiction, enabling the UK to bring
charges and try individuals accused of committing serious crimes such as torture and crimes against humanity in
domestic courts. Many of the alleged hit squad have now been named. Investigating those individuals, and the
bringing of charges, would send a serious message that the British government is willing to uphold international law
and human rights.

In the meantime, those individuals would be restricted in travel and would face arrest if they ever tried to come to the
United Kingdom.

There is also the question of extradition. Turkey could ask for the extradition of the death squad and the Saudi
consular officials who have now fled. There is no extradition treaty between Saudi Arabia and Turkey (or, for that
matter, the UK) – but that does not necessarily prevent extradition. It would be rare but not unprecedented for an ad
hoc agreement to be signed to extradite the men. A recent example of this was the attempt to extradite Rwandans
accused of war crimes from the UK to Rwanda.

The Vienna Convention governs diplomatic immunity but does not allow murder and torture to take place on foreign
soil; that would be a deliberate manipulation of international law. The punishment is political rather than legal as
ambassadors can be withdrawn, diplomatic ties downgraded and financial sanctions imposed.

The Turkish prosecutors have the power to prosecute the death squad for murder, kidnapping and torture – but the
question is whether Riyadh will cooperate by surrendering the individuals. The finely balanced politics make that
outcome unlikely.

The UK’s response has been strong in condemning the actions of Saudi Arabia. Nevertheless, it should go further. We
should seek to sanction the men responsible and be ready to prosecute them should they ever come to the UK.

24
Ben Keith and Rhys Davies are barristers who specialise in international law
Khashoggi murder: Saudis refuse Turkey extradition request

Saudi Arabia's foreign minister has ruled out extraditing to Turkey suspects in the murder of
journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Adel al-Jubeir said: "We do not extradite our citizens."

Just over a week ago, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan demanded the extradition and on
Wednesday a Turkish court issued arrest warrants.

Saudi Arabia has charged 11 people with the murder, which took place in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in
October.

Arrest warrants were issued in Turkey for former Saudi intelligence chief Ahmad al-Assiri and former royal
adviser Saud al-Qahtani.

Mr al-Jubeir criticised the way Turkey has shared information with the kingdom.

"The Turkish authorities have not been as forthcoming as we believe they should have been," he said,
quoted by AFP news agency.

"We have asked our friends in Turkey to provide us with evidence that we can use in a court of law. We
have not received it in the manner that it should have been received."
 Where the Saudi prince stands revealed
 Jamal Khashoggi: The story so far
 Journalist who stepped into a consulate and vanished

Mr Erdogan says the order to kill Khashoggi came from the highest levels of the Saudi government but
insists he does not want to damage the Saudi royal family.

What does Saudi Arabia say?

It denies that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was involved in the killing.

The Gulf kingdom's public prosecutor has said Khashoggi was killed inside the consulate as a result of a
"rogue operation" on the orders of an intelligence officer.

Khashoggi was given a lethal injection after a struggle. His body was then dismembered inside the
consulate in Istanbul and the body parts were handed over to a local "collaborator" outside the grounds, the
prosecutor said.
Turkish Prosecutor Requests Extradition Of 18 Saudis Over Journalist's Murder

A Turkish prosecutor has requested the extradition of 18 Saudi suspects over the death of journalist Jamal
Khashoggi.

Turkey's state-run news agency Anadolu said on October 26 that Istanbul's chief prosecutor's office had
submitted its request to Turkey's Justice Ministry.

The news agency said Turkey's Foreign Ministry would formally request the extraditions.

Saudi Arabia has said it arrested 18 people in connection with Khashoggi's killing at the Saudi Consulate in
Istanbul on October 2.

Turkey alleges a 15-member "hit squad" was sent to Istanbul to kill the journalist, a critic of the Saudi royal
family who lived in self-imposed exile in the United States.

25
Earlier on October 26, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on Saudi Arabia to disclose the
location of Khashoggi's body.

Speaking on October 26 to provincial members of his AK Party in parliament, Erdogan said that Turkey has
other "information and evidence" about Khashoggi's killing in the Saudi Consulate.

Erdogan said Saudi's public prosecutor was due to meet the Istanbul prosecutor in Istanbul on October 28.

Khashoggi's Turkish fiancee on October 26 called for all those responsible for his murder to be brought to
justice.

"I demand that all those involved in this savagery from the highest to the lowest levels are punished and
brought to justice," Hatice Cengiz told the Haber Turk television station.

Cengiz also said she has declined an invitation to the White House by U.S. President Donald Trump because
she thought the invitation was aimed at influencing public opinion in the United States.

Meanwhile, Khashoggi’s eldest son arrived in the United States after the kingdom revoked a travel ban that
prevented him from leaving the country.

A ‘Fair Trial’ for Khashoggi’s Killers? Not in Saudi Arabia—but Not in Turkey Either
Erdogan has demanded that those who allegedly murdered the Washington Post
columnist in the Istanbul consulate be extradited—drawing attention to Turkey’s own
lousy record

ISTANBUL—It was a long shot at best when Turkey asked Saudi Arabia’s government to extradite 18 of its

own employees to stand trial for the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al Jubeir answered with a definitive “no” Saturday. He said the suspects were

Saudis and were being held in Saudi Arabia and that’s where they’d be tried, never mind that the crime took

place at the Saudi consulate here in Istanbul.

Up to now, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has managed adroitly the crisis surrounding the

dead Washington Post columnist. Leaks to selected international news media and official statements have

forced the Saudis to abandon a string of denials and admit to the murder, enhancing Erdogan’s credibility

and undercutting the Saudis’ image throughout the world. But the extradition demand may have been a

step too far.

Turkey’s reason for asking the kingdom to extradite its own citizens in the absence of an extradition treaty—

something that rarely happens—is not only that the murder happened on Turkish soil but that the Saudis

will face a challenge staging a “transparent and fair trial” that will live up to the expectations of the

international community, a senior Turkish official told The Daily Beast.

26
“It is clear that the judicial system in Turkey is better equipped to genuinely serve the cause of justice in this

case,” said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “It would be better for the reputation of our

Saudi friends that the court proceedings take place in Turkey.”

Independent observers disagree.

Turkey’s courts “are a mess, not independent of the executive, and a case like this would be a challenge,”

said Nate Schenkkan, director of special research at Freedom House, a U.S. human rights monitoring

group.

Schenkkan said the Turkish system of justice “probably functions a bit better than the Saudi system, but

that doesn’t mean it functions well.” He said the Khashoggi murder case should be the subject of an outside

investigation.

Jubeir, while announcing that the suspects will be prosecuted in Saudi Arabia, also decried “hysterical”

media coverage of the case. Media attention to Khashoggi’s murder has indeed been extraordinary, but that

may be because, according to President Donald Trump and others, the man who may be responsible for it is

the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman. “The prince...is running things

and so if anybody were going to be, it would be him,” Trump told the Wall Street Journal.

Jubeir, speaking at an international forum in Bahrain on Saturday, promised: “We will know the truth. We

will hold those responsible accountable.” But he also cautioned that “investigations take time.”

Saudi credibility is in tatters. Even though the kingdom arrested members of what Turkey calls the

“assassination squad,” officials have yet to say what happened to Khashoggi’s remains. Was he

dismembered, as Turkish officials said in leaks to the international media, or was his body rolled up in a rug

and turned over to a local operative, as the Saudis claim? No one seems to know.

Yet experts doubt that Turkey would be the better venue for trying the case.

Schenkkan cited the high-profile case of Andrew Brunson, an American protestant pastor who was arrested

two years ago on charges of spying and aiding terrorist groups. Brunson was released Oct. 10 after being

found guilty and receiving a three-year suspended sentence, but that came after U.S. President Donald

Trump put enormous political pressures on NATO ally Turkey, including economic sanctions.

27
Brunson “was not able to have a clear and open judicial process” in which the defendant can question in an

adversarial manner the ways in which evidence was gathered, Schenkkan noted. Some witnesses were

secret, and in one instance the defense was never able to question a witness.

Another case that’s drawn attention here is that of Taner Kilic, Amnesty International’s Turkish chairman

who was released pending trial in August after 14 months in pre-trial detention. He was charged with

membership in a terrorist organizations and aiding a terrorist organization. Amnesty called his detention a

“travesty of justice of spectacular proportions.”

Cases move slowly in Turkish courts, with hearings spread out over months. Many defendants held on

political charges are detained for well over a year.

“Pre-trial detention is used to be punitive. It is also arbitrary and routine,” said Andrew Gardner, AI’s senior

researcher in Turkey. Under recent changes in the law, pre-trial detention can now last up to seven years,

up from five years. He said in the case of Kilic, the charges were “absurd, baseless,” and not backed by

reliable evidence.

“There’s a definite pattern of people being put on trial who are critics of the government,” Gardner said. He

said the Brunson case “struck me as a similar to other politicized cases, and just like journalist, activists,

human rights advocates being put on trial for baseless charges for political reasons.”

Turkey has the dubious distinction of being the world’s leading jailer of journalists, and the current number

held is more than 230, human rights groups say.

According to Schenkkan, Turkey has a long history of punishing “all sorts of dissent” through the legal

system. It predates Erdogan, “but it’s reached some new lows in the last few years.” He noted that leaders

of a major political party, the People’s Democratic Party (HDP), which is largely Kurdish, are now in jail.

Civil society leaders have been targeted, business leaders “could come into the crosshairs as

well.” Journalists are “just the most visible to the international community.”

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia remains under strong public pressure from the United States and other countries

to come clean. Defense Secretary James Mattis said at the Bahrain conference that Khashoggi's death

"must concern us all" and that the United States "does not tolerate this kind of ruthless action to silence Mr.

Khashoggi, a journalist, through violence.”

Khashoggi’s murder was undermining regional stability, he said.

28
"Failure of any nation to adhere to international norms and the rule of law undermines regional stability at

a time when it is needed most," Mattis told the conference.

Saudi Arabia rejects Turkey’s call to extradite Khashoggi killers

MANAMA: Riyadh on Saturday dismissed Ankara’s calls to extradite 18 Saudis being held
over the murder of critic Jamal Khashoggi, as Washington warned the crisis risked
destabilising the Middle East.

“The individuals are Saudi nationals. They’re detained in Saudi Arabia, and the investigation is in Saudi
Arabia, and they will be prosecuted in Saudi Arabia,” Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir told a regional
defence forum in Bahrain.

He was responding to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who on Friday renewed his call for the 18
men to be extradited for trial in Turkey.

But US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis, who was also addressing the Manama forum, warned that “the
murder of Jamal Khashoggi in a diplomatic facility must concern us all greatly”.

“Failure of any nation to adhere to international norms and the rule of law undermines regional stability at
a time when it is needed most,” he stressed.

France and Germany’s leaders said on Saturday they want a “coordinated” European position for sanctions
on arms sales to Saudi Arabia.

This came after French President Emmanuel Macron had on Friday implied German Chancellor Angela
Merkel’s government was engaging in “pure demagoguery” by halting arms sales to Riyadh.

The Saudi foreign minister vowed on Saturday that the kingdom would “overcome” the crisis over
Khashoggi’s killing.

“The issue, as I said, is being investigated. We will know the truth. We will hold those responsible
accountable. And we will put in place mechanisms to ensure it doesn’t happen again,” Jubeir told the
defence forum.

However, the body of Khashoggi, who was once an insider in Saudi royal circles, remains missing.

“You need to show this body,” Erdogan insisted on Friday, indicating that his country had more evidence
about the killing to reveal.

The Turkish president, who has stopped short of directly blaming the Saudi government, added the 18
suspects must know who killed Khashoggi and repeated his call for the men to be tried in Turkey.

“The culprit is among them. If that is not the case, then who is the local conspirator? You have to tell,” he
said. “Unless you tell, Saudi Arabia will not be free from this suspicion.”

Khashoggi’s fiancée Hatice Cengiz said in a TV interview on Friday that she never would have let him enter
the consulate if she had thought that “Saudi Arabia authorities would hatch a plot” to kill him.

“I demand that all those involved in this savagery from the highest to the lowest levels are punished and
brought to justice,” Cengiz told the Haberturk television station.

She said she had not been contacted by Saudi officials and was unlikely to go to Saudi Arabia for any funeral
there if Khashoggi’s missing body is found.

SaudirejectsTurkey'scalltoextraditekillers

Erdogan renewed his call for the 18 men to be extradited for trial in Turkey.

29
Riyadh on Saturday dismissed Ankara's calls to extradite 18 Saudis being held over the murder of critic Jamal
Khashoggi, as Washington warned the crisis risked destabilising the Middle East.

"The individuals are Saudi nationals. They're detained in Saudi Arabia, and the investigation is in Saudi Arabia, and
they will be prosecuted in Saudi Arabia," Foreign Minister Adel Al Jubeir told a regional defence forum in Bahrain.

He was responding to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who on Friday renewed his call for the 18 men to be
extradited for trial in Turkey.

Saudi journalist Khashoggi, 59, who had lived in self-imposed exile in the United States since 2017, was murdered
after entering his country's Istanbul consulate on October 2 to obtain paperwork to marry his Turkish fiancee.

US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis, who was also addressing the Manama forum, warned that "the murder of Jamal
Khashoggi in a diplomatic facility must concern us all greatly".

Turkey wants 18 Saudis extradited over Khashoggi murder

ISTANBUL, Turkey - Turkey on Friday said it wanted 18 Saudis extradited over the murder of journalist Jamal
Khashoggi, as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Ankara still had more evidence to reveal in the case.

The announcement came a day after the Saudi prosecutor said that based on evidence supplied by Turkey the murder
appeared to have been premeditated -- the first time Saudi authorities had made such an admission.

In a speech in Ankara, Erdogan said Saudi Arabia's chief prosecutor would visit Istanbul on Sunday to speak to
Turkish authorities as part of the investigation.

Saudi authorities earlier arrested 18 men wanted by Ankara following an international furor over the death of
Khashoggi, a Washington Post contributor and critic of Saudi policies, who was killed at the Saudi consulate in
Istanbul on October 2.

The killing has tainted the image of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has positioned himself as a Saudi
reformer, and tested ties between Washington and Riyadh as Western powers demand answers over Khashoggi's
death.

A written request for the extradition of the 18 suspects had been prepared by Istanbul's chief prosecutor.

"It is clear that the judicial system in Turkey is better equipped to genuinely serve the cause of justice in this case," a
senior Turkish official said.

Erdogan on Friday called on Riyadh to reveal who ordered the killing and the whereabouts of Khashoggi's body.

"You need to show this body," Erdogan said.

The Turkish president, who has stopped short of directly blaming the Saudi government, said that the 18 suspects must
know who killed Khashoggi and repeated his call for the men to be tried in Turkey.

"The culprit is among them. If that is not the case, then who is the local conspirator? You have to tell," he said.

"Unless you tell, Saudi Arabia will not be free from this suspicion."

FIANCEE CALLS FOR JUSTICE

Khashoggi, 59, who had lived in self-imposed exile in the United States since 2017, was not seen again after entering
the consulate to obtain paperwork for his marriage to his Turkish fiancee Hatice Cengiz.

30
A tearful Cengiz said in a TV interview on Friday that she never would have let Khashoggi enter the consulate if she
had thought that "Saudi Arabia authorities would hatch a plot" to kill him.

"I demand that all those involved in this savagery from the highest to the lowest levels are punished and brought to
justice," Cengiz told the Haberturk television station.

She said she had not been contacted by Saudi officials and that she was unlikely to go to Saudi Arabia for a possible
funeral if Khashoggi's missing body is found.

Saudi Arabia has sought to draw a line under the crisis with the investigation, but a string of gruesome details about
the murder have continued to appear in the Turkish media.

In his speech, Erdogan indicated that more evidence was yet to be revealed.

"It is not that we don't have any other information or documents. We do. Tomorrow is another day," he said.

'CHILDISH' EXPLANATIONS

Riyadh's admission that the murder appeared to be a premeditated killing marked the latest twist in the shifting official
narrative from Saudi authorities.

They had first insisted Khashoggi left the consulate unharmed, then said he was killed in an argument that degenerated
into a brawl.

In his speech, Erdogan mocked the initial story of Khashoggi's disappearance as "childish" and "far from state
seriousness".

And the explanations have met with growing incredulity from Western governments who say many questions remain.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel vowed on Friday that Berlin would not export arms to Saudi Arabia until the
murder is clarified, a stance French President Emmanuel Macron dubbed "pure demagoguery" as it "has nothing to do
with Mr Khashoggi".

Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl, in an interview with a German newspaper Friday, backed the call for an EU
embargo on weapons deliveries to Saudi Arabia.

"Above all the awful war in Yemen and the Qatar crisis should lead us to finally act in a united fashion as the
European Union towards Saudi Arabia," Kneissl told Die Welt.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin said Russia believes that the Saudi royals were not involved in the murder.

US President Donald Trump has called the case "one of the worst cover-ups in history".

Pro-government Turkish media said that intelligence officers showed Haspel video images and audio tapes of
Khashoggi's killing gathered from the consulate.

A Turkish presidential source said Erdogan shared information about the case with Canada's Prime Minister Justin
Trudeau during a phone call on Friday.

Prince Mohammed, the kingdom's de facto ruler, has denounced the "repulsive" murder, denying any involvement.
The kingdom's leadership has pushed responsibility down the chain of command.

However, UN expert Agnes Callamard said Thursday that Khashoggi was the victim of an "extrajudicial execution"
committed by the Saudi state. She called for an international investigation.

Khashoggi Killing: Saudi Arabia Refuses to Extradite Suspects to Turkey

The murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi has damaged Riyadh's international reputation and
Western countries including the US, France and Canada have placed sanctions on nearly 20 Saudi
nationals.

31
 Riyadh: Saudi Arabia's foreign minister on Sunday rejected demands to extradite suspects
connected to the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi as sought by Turkish President
Recep Tayyip Erdogan. "We do not extradite our citizens," Adel al-Jubeir told a news
conference in Riyadh at the end of a summit of Gulf Cooperation Council states.

Erdogan has repeatedly called on Saudi Arabia to hand over suspects in the killing of the
dissident journalist.
Khashoggi, a Saudi contributor to the Washington Post, was killed shortly after entering the kingdom's
consulate in Istanbul on October 2. A Turkish court on Wednesday issued arrest warrants for former Saudi
intelligence chief Ahmad al-Assiri and former adviser to the royal court Saud al-Qahtani, at the request of
Istanbul's chief prosecutor.

Assiri often sat in during Prince Mohammed's closed-door meetings with visiting foreign dignitaries and
Qahtani was a key counsellor to the crown prince.

Both were sacked after Riyadh admitted Khashoggi was killed in its consulate. "The Turkish authorities
have not been as forthcoming as we believe they should have been," said Jubeir, saying Riyadh was
presented with information that had already been leaked to the media.

"We have asked our friends in Turkey to provide us with evidence that we can use in a court of law. We
have not received it in the manner that it should have been received."

According to Turkey, a 15-member Saudi team was sent to Istanbul to kill Khashoggi.

Erdogan has said the order to kill Khashoggi came from the highest levels of the Saudi
government, but has insisted it was not King Salman.

The Turkish leader insisted last weekend during a trip to South America that Riyadh hand
over the suspects, but said the kingdom was not cooperating.

Riyadh has since detained 21 people over the murder. Despite speculation that the powerful
crown prince ordered the hit, the kingdom has strongly denied he was involved.

The murder has damaged Riyadh's international reputation and Western countries including
the United States, France and Canada have placed sanctions on nearly 20 Saudi nationals.

Qahtani was among 17 Saudi officials targeted by sanctions imposed by the US Treasury
Department in mid-November for "his role in preparing for the operation" against the
journalist.

Slim chance Khashoggi killers will be tried in Turkey: experts

Experts say those responsible for the murder are unlikely to see inside of a Turkish court, despite calls by
Erdogan.
Istanbul, Turkey - Despite calls by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to extradite and try those
involved in murdering Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, experts say chances of the Saudi suspects facing
trial in Turkey are slim.

Breaking his silence on the case on Tuesday, Erdogan laid out several details about the October 2 murder of
the Washington Post contributor, which took place inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

Erdogan said a group of Saudi nationals "pre-planned" the "brutal" murder and called on the kingdom to
extradite the 18 suspects to Turkey to face justice.

On Wednesday, Turkish Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul said: "If Turkish prosecutors find evidence or
strong suspicion of involvement of the Saudi consul in the Khashoggi murder, [they] can open an invitation
and demand the extradition of the Saudi consul to Turkey by a court order."

32
However, legal experts told Al Jazeera that the chances of extradition were slim.

"According to international laws, a state shall not extradite its own citizen," said Guclu Akyurek, associate
professor of criminal law at Mef University in Istanbul.

Akyurek said since the two countries do not have an extradition treaty between them, their only option is to
sign an ad hoc agreement, valid only in the Khashoggi case.

William Schabas, professor of international law at Middlesex University, said such a deal was unlikely. "If
[the suspected killers] are in Saudi Arabia, there is no legal obligation to extradite," Schabas said.

Interpol an option
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has called the killing a "heinous crime that cannot be
justified".

In his first public comments in the weeks since Khashoggi's murder, the crown prince, known as MBS, said
on Wednesday that the perpetrators would be brought to justice with the help of Turkey.

However, the crown prince is under increasing pressure as critics believe he had knowledge of and possibly
ordered the killing.

University of Parma professor Stefano Maffei, an expert on extradition, said Turkey could go to Interpol if
Saudi Arabia did not cooperate in the investigation.

Interpol would then issue what is called a "red notice", an international request for arrest and extradition,
he said. It would prevent the suspects from travelling abroad, where they may be arrested.

"They would have to remain in Saudi Arabia for the rest of their lives," he said.

If the evidence of the murder is inside the consulate, the investigation would require Saudi Arabia's
cooperation

STEFANO MAFFEI, UNIVERSITY OF PARMA

Because the murder involves diplomatic missions, the case is even more challenging to pursue.

"Embassy and consulate premises are inviolable," Schabas said, adding it was the reason why the killing
allegedly took place there.

This inviolability led to Turkish investigators not being able to enter the Saudi consulate for several days
after the murder.

However, Maffei said, immunity is only valid for the consulate building, not the people who work there.

"Being a diplomat does not allow you to kill anybody. If a diplomat is responsible for killing somebody, the
country where the murder happened will have full jurisdiction to try that person," he said.

"But there is an additional problem. If the evidence of the murder is inside the consulate, the investigation
would require Saudi Arabia's cooperation," Maffei added.

Referring to the 1963 Vienna Convention, Mef University's Akyurek said: "Consular officers can be arrested
or detained pending trial in the case of a grave crime and pursuant to a decision by the competent judicial
authority."

Call for independent probe

33
All 18 suspects in Khashoggi's killing are in Saudi Arabia, where they were arrested by Saudi authorities for
their alleged involvement, indicating Riyadh's attempt to try them itself.

Five high-ranking members of the Saudi government have also been fired for their alleged ties to
Khashoggi's murder.

Following these arrests and dismissals, several organisations, including the United Nations and European
Parliament, called for an independent investigation.

But Maffei told Al Jazeera there is little chance of the case reaching an international body such as the
International Criminal Court (ICC).

"The ICC jurisdiction is limited in situations where countries are unable or unwilling to prosecute," he said.

For Schabas, the killing of a journalist inside a consulate does not constitute an international crime. "It's
just a murder," he said.

UN calls for 'credible' probe into Khashoggi murder

Antonio Guterres says it is 'essential to have credible investigation and to have punishment of those that
were guilty'.
UN chief Antonio Guterres has called for a "credible" investigation into journalist Jamal Khashoggi's
murder in Saudi Arabia's consulate in Istanbul.

"It is absolutely essential to have a credible investigation and to have the punishment of those that were
guilty," Guterres said at the Doha Forum conference in Qatar on Sunday.

The UN chief said he had no information on the case except what had been reported in the media.

Khashoggi, a Saudi contributor to the Washington Post, was killed on October 2 shortly after entering the
kingdom's consulate in what Riyadh called a "rogue" operation.

Saudi Arabia has repeatedly rejected Turkish demands to extradite suspects connected to the murder of the
journalist, a critic of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

'Ignoring murder'
Turkey's foreign minister said on Saturday that his country would "not give up" on establishing the truth
about the murder.

"We haven't received any new information or outcome of the investigation from the Saudi side," Mevlut
Cavusoglu said, also in Qatar, which has been the target of a Saudi-led boycott since June 2017.

"Turkey will not give up on this, we will go to the end."

Cavusoglu also said that many European countries are ignoring the murder, even as they promote freedom
of expression and protection of journalists.

"Many European countries, who are promoting freedom of media, freedom of expression, are closing their
eyes. These countries, and the politicians, are putting some sanctions on people who are already in prison,
who will never be visiting those countries. At the same time, we haven't accepted any proposal to close this
case," the foreign minister said at the Doha Forum.

Earlier this month, the minister said Turkey was in talks over a possible United Nationsinvestigation into
the killing that has provoked global outrage.

34
According to Turkey, a 15-member Saudi team was sent to Istanbul to kill Khashoggi, a palace insider
turned critic of the Saudi leadership.

Riyadh has since detained 21 people over the murder.

Despite speculation that the powerful crown prince ordered the hit, the kingdom has strongly denied he was
involved.

The murder has damaged Riyadh's international reputation and Western countries, including the United
States, France and Canada, have placed sanctions on nearly 20 Saudi nationals.

In addition, the US Senate voted on Thursday to approve a resolution calling for an end to US involvement
in the Saudi-UAE-led military campaign in Yemen, setting the stage for a potential showdown next year
between Congress and President Donald Trump over US military support for Saudi Arabia.

The Senate also approved a resolution saying that Prince Mohammed is responsible for the murder
of Khashoggi.

US politicians have grown increasingly outraged as the number of civilians killed in Yemen by Saudi and
UAE air attacks using US-made weapons has risen dramatically in the past two years.

The Saudi-UAE coalition launched an intervention in 2015 through a massive air campaign
targeting Houthi rebels.

2. Status of consulate office or generals is it an extension of territory

Is an Embassy on Foreign Soil the Sovereign Territory of the Host Country or the Embassy’s
Country?
With the opening of the Cuban and US Embassy on each other’s state, this seemed like a timely and
informative post to write.
Quick question for you, if you visit an embassy are you technically on foreign soil?
Think you know the answer?
Great!
Keep it in mind for now. I’ve got a couple of stories for you first.
Story 1
A few days ago I was hanging out with a friend of mine from Argentina. She was visiting Washington, DC
for a conference and loved the weather, compared to what she was experiencing in TN.
Taking advantage of the 70 something climate, she decided to walk around Dupont Circle during a break in
her conference. She came across the Argentine Embassy and got excited.
Running into the driveway she did a little celebratory jump, popped a big smile, and then ran out.
Later on that day we met up and she told me she was just on Argentine soil earlier that morning. I asked
what she was talking about and she described what she did.
This then started a conversation on whether or not she was actually on foreign soil. In the end it didn’t
matter, she was happy about it and I was happy for her.
Story 2
When I lived in Kenya I would sometimes run into the marines at the bar, who guarded the US Embassy,
and join them for a drink. Most of their days were the same: guard the mission, do PT, do training
scenarios, and other marine life activities (including popping wheelies with the golf cart).
Every now and then they would have an interesting story and this is one of them:
Like every weekday morning, a number of Kenyan nationals stood in line to enter the embassy seeking a
meeting with the Consular section to go through the process of acquiring a visa. On this particular day, a
pregnant lady far along and near the end of her 9-month period was in line, and the line was a long one.
She eventually entered the embassy (the entrance to speak with the consular section is different than the
main entrance) and excused herself to visit the bathroom. What followed was a first time experience for all
involved.
Either naturally, or induced, the woman gave birth to a son in the bathroom. “She went in with a bump, and
came out with a baby” is how one marine described it. The lady then proceeded to state that her son is a

35
US citizen because he was born on American soil (the US Embassy bathroom), should be given full rights,
and the pair of them flown to the US.
The next few hours were a delicate balance of diplomacy between the marines, the consular section, and
the woman as they tried to determine next steps.
Do you think the baby was born on US soil?
Embassy Territory
The best place to find answers to the above stories, and the question overall, is with the Vienna Convention
on Diplomatic Relations 1961.
Within this convention, Articles 21-25 have to do with embassies, though more specifically diplomatic
missions as a whole.
Article 21
1. The receiving State shall either facilitate the acquisition on its territory, in accordance with its laws, by the
sending State of premises necessary for its mission or assist the latter in obtaining accommodation in some
other way.
2. It shall also, where necessary, assist missions in obtaining suitable accommodation for their members.
Article 22
1. The premises of the mission shall be inviolable. The agents of the receiving State may not enter
them, except with the consent of the head of the mission.
2. The receiving State is under a special duty to take all appropriate steps to protect the premises of
the mission against any intrusion or damage and to prevent any disturbance of the peace of the
mission or impairment of its dignity.
3. The premises of the mission, their furnishings and other property thereon and the means of transport
of the mission shall be immune from search, requisition, attachment or execution.
Article 23
1. The sending State and the head of the mission shall be exempt from all national, regional or municipal
dues and taxes in respect of the premises of the mission, whether owned or leased, other than such as
represent payment for specific services rendered.
2. The exemption from taxation referred to in this article shall not apply to such dues and taxes payable
under the law of the receiving State by persons contracting with the sending State or the head of the
mission.
Article 24
The archives and documents of the mission shall be inviolable at any time and wherever they may be.
Article 25
The receiving State shall accord full facilities for the performance of the functions of the mission.
Above you will notice I bolded a few phrases, all in Article 22, which have to do with mission sovereignty.
Let’s break it down:
1. The premises of a mission shall be inviolable
Nobody can enter the mission without permission- this includes the host country
2. The receiving State is under a special duty to take all appropriate steps to protect the premises of the
mission against any intrusion or damage and to prevent any disturbance of the peace of the mission or
impairment of its dignity
If you visit the US Embassy, especially in more dangerous parts of the world, you will see the exterior of the
mission being guarded by local nationals. The inside will have a marine detachment, but the outside will
either be local police or military.
Now, in my experience, the words “protect… mission against any damage and to prevent any disturbance
of peace… or impairment of its dignity”, have been interpreted differently depending on the situation.
Story 3
I’ll keep this personal story short, because it deserves an entire post to itself. The year was 1999 and
NATO had accidently bombed the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade. The response of Chinese protests was
almost immediate and approved by the Chinese government. For a week, thousands of students were
brought and dropped off by bus to protest all day around the US Embassy compound (England, Australia,
and a couple of others also experienced protesting, but not as many).
The Embassy was under a constant barrage of rocks, bricks, bottles filled with urine, liquids, paints, and
other materials during this time. Though there were Chinese police personnel guarding the entrance of the
Embassy, they were not protecting against “damage… or impairment of [US Mission] dignity”.
This meant that by the end of the week, the Embassy no longer had a sandpaper color to it, but was now a
multicolored mess, and that is putting it mildly. A lot happened during this time: my dad having to go in and
out of the embassy during the dark, a CNN reporter being beaten with a brick, a close call between marines
and a Chinese citizen who jumped the fence, and being told to be prepared for evacuation, but I’ll save it
for another time.

36
 3. The premises of the mission… shall be immune from search, requisition, attachment or execution
Similar to number one, unless the individual or party is asked to conduct any of the above, it is not allowed
by a host country or any entity. The premise, just like the diplomat and their family, is awarded immunity.
If you are curious about what diplomatic immunity entails, read Articles 29-41.
Is the embassy territory sovereign territory?
Hopefully by now you have an idea of the answer, which is no.
In story 1, my friend did not jump for joy on Argentine soil, in story 2, the baby does not become a US
citizen, and in story 3, US sovereign territory was not attacked, but the US mission was.
Does the embassy enjoy immunity though? Absolutely!
It is this immunity that most likely confuses folks when it comes to sovereignty. The mission is protected
and is considered US property, but the territory does not belong to the US (or any other country with an
embassy). Again, the Vienna Convention does not state that the property belongs to the embassy’s
country.
Though the immunity can be violated, for the most part it is respected. Without such immunity, the life of a
diplomatic would be more difficult during times of aggression within and between countries.
So, did you know the answer?
20 Comments
1.
Ron Hyatt on October 23, 2018 at 7:06 pm

Assange?
Reply


Margot Kiser on November 10, 2018 at 11:39 am

Dear Jack,
I appreciated your anecdotes above.
The Khashoggi murder is still fresh and haunting. Yet the Saudi government already
insists that because the murder took place in the Turkish consulate, and so on “Saudi soil”,
an investigation can only take place in Saudi Arabia.
Is this true? If so why?
So is the Saudi consulate on Saudi soil and would thus give the alleged killers immunity
from prosecution?
Put another way can I get away with murder in the US embassy in Nairobi, or Paris, etc?
And would it make a difference as far as prosecution is concerned whether I were Joe
citizen vs Joe Diplo?
Thanks!
Reply

2.
SAMS - Marine College on July 20, 2018 at 9:33 am

This post seems to be very useful for Marine students, keep posting info like this. How to subscribe your
blog? Need regular updates to my e mail ? respond back to this.
Reply

3.
Ali on June 25, 2018 at 10:52 pm

There is no such thing as an English embassy

37
 Reply

4.
Jørgen Oktober Storm Nestande on December 18, 2017 at 6:18 pm

Not sure how relevant the Vienna Convention is. The constitution of most countries — I believe at least —
will have a paragraph saying something about “a land indivisible” or something to that effect.
Reply


Henry Syjongtian on August 8, 2018 at 10:49 am

Truly, in the Philippine Constitution, the National Territory clause states that “the national
territory comprises the Philippine Archipelago….and all other territories over which the
Philippines has sovereignty or jurisdiction.” This can be implied by having solely
jurisdiction over the mission, or sovereignty over the land where the embassy is located.
But countries will always try to make it lean to the latter.
Reply

5.
ORION on December 15, 2017 at 6:15 am

The poorest argumentation I’ve ever heard! It is just an opinion based on nothing. The Vienna Convention
does not state that the property belong to the embassy’s country, but it also does not say the opposite.
Reply


Mike on July 4, 2018 at 8:10 pm

That’s a ridiculous train of thought.

Property in a country is property of that country unless law or treaty says otherwise.
There’s no reason for Vienna to specify that, because it’s a given.
This isn’t a gray area. There is no “Well, it could be…”
If you know of a reason why the argument made here is inaccurate, make it. Pointing out
that the obvious wasn’t codified isn’t doing that.
Reply

6.
Michael Greene on October 30, 2017 at 5:41 pm

Good contribution to the world’s knowledge. Well argued. Thanks.

Reply

7.
Lazza on August 3, 2017 at 7:46 am

Very interesting. So what happens when a crime is committed inside an embassy? Does the host country
investigate and prosecute?
Reply

38
 
Tosca on October 22, 2018 at 12:06 pm

Great question. An incident of crime just happened at the Saudi Embassy in Istanbul on
October 2, 2018.
Reply

8.
Kwame Owusu-Baafi on May 10, 2017 at 2:29 am

I had an answer, but I was wrong. I have always considered the grounds on which an Embassy stands as
the sending country’s legal territory. The second story is very interesting and I was waiting for the end of
it. I am sure the lady vainly wasted some time and money. Better luck next time, Madam.
Reply

9.
Melanie Tennison on January 1, 2017 at 8:32 am

Thanks much! I find it interesting to note that the U.S. had no need to pay property taxes in reference to
its embassy in Moscow. It is particularly interesting to know, as such was referenced as a comparison,
when it was noted elsewhere that the Russians refused to pay taxes that they owed on the land that they
actually BOUGHT in 1947 on Long Island in New York, for so many years. Our own Justice Dept. actually
threatened Mayor Andrew DiPaola in his attempts to collect back taxes owed by the Russians for that
property. The Justice Dept. issued a restraining order, and forced the city to halt its quest for back taxes.
That was in 1970, after the non-payment for 23 years! The city of Glen Cove got ripped off for $25,000 a
year, the school district for $50,000 a year, and Nassau County for $25,000 a year. Add that all up times
23 years! And one excuse mentioned was that the U.S. was not paying taxes on our embassy in
Moscow? Umm, according to this article, I see no reason why they should have, since they didn’t outright
BUY or OWN the property! The way I see it from investigating this, is that our own Justice Dept., and the
Russians ripped off our own taxpayers big time on their spy operation on Long Island. ‘sound familiar? – –
As I write this on 1-1-2017, President Obama has just blown the whistle on the Russians and kicked them
out of their fake “recreational compounds”/aka/spy network locations on Long Island and Maryland. Here
we ring in 2017BizarroTrumpRussiaWorldTweeterTwit-in-Chief
Reply

10.
Bill Cord on August 18, 2016 at 2:15 pm

I guessed correctly on the answers but the article was well written and left nothing unexplained.
Reply

11.
Hughie on June 15, 2016 at 6:28 pm

Great share. Timely. Appreciated

Reply

39
12.
ShazzNem on June 14, 2016 at 11:29 am

truly appreciated.
Reply

13.
Tony on August 13, 2015 at 1:04 pm

I wasn’t sure of the answer one way or the other, but I had my doubts to the idea that an embassy, etc. is
actually foreign soil. I appreciate the answer and the breakdown.
Reply


Bernardo Lopez on December 20, 2016 at 10:25 am

According to your explanation: The legal standing of the American consulate property and
rights should be respected as any rights granted any respected on U.S. soil. The right of
an illegal alien to a hearing of his case in front of an American judge could be
accomplished at any American embassy of the host country. An undocumented alien
could be returned to his country of origin’s consulate to await trial. His / her maintenance
and legal expenses during the duration would fall on the individual and his country. Hello
?? This would save us a ton of money. The Adrian? Gonzales case where Attorney
General Janet Reno under Bill Clinton set the precedent of sending (using a swat team I
might add) the ‘minor’ child back to his father’s country (Cuba) so that a family would not
be ‘torn apart’. What happened to this line of reasoning and Immigration legal
interpretation?
Reply


Jim Gordon on June 24, 2018 at 1:55 pm

You will not find an American judge, court, or police officers in an American
Embassy located on the territory of another country.
Reply


Chris Ott on October 11, 2018 at 2:28 pm

Perhaps no ‘police’, but you will certainly find FBI personnel

working out of various USA diplomatic enclaves throughout
the world.

MBS Says the Saudi Consulate in Turkey Is 'Sovereign Territory.' He's Wrong.

40
As speculation grew about the fate of the Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who vanished after
entering his nation’s consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2, the Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin
Salman was quick to dispel rumors he had been murdered.

“We have nothing to hide,” the de-facto Saudi leader, known by his initials MBS, said three days
later. “The premises are sovereign territory, but we will allow [Turkish authorities] to enter.”

On one thing at least, the Crown Prince was mistaken — consulates and embassies are not, in fact,
sovereign territory under international law.

“He is incorrect,” says Dapo Akande, a professor of public international law at the University of
Oxford. “As a matter of international law that’s absolutely clear, the consulate is not within the
sovereignty of Saudi Arabia.”

Whatever happened to Khashoggi, he says, “is an event that happened within Turkish territory to
which Turkish law applies.”

Part of the confusion stems from the fact that the 1961 Vienna Convention, which sets out the rules
governing consulates and embassies, guarantees the “inviolability” of diplomatic premises.

“That means the host state can’t just go in without the consent of the state whose consulate it is,”
says Akande. That’s why Turkish authorities had to wait for Saudi permission to enter. (In the end,
they were finally allowed in on Monday, ten days after MBS’s guarantee.)

Yet while the principle of inviolability guarantees some measure of protection to consulates, it does
not mean that events that take place there are not subject to the host country’s own laws.

“If Khashoggi was killed in the consulate in Istanbul, then that’s murder under the laws of Turkey,”
says Akande. “Anybody can in principle be prosecuted for that murder. Unless that individual also
has immunity.”

Diplomatic immunity is a form of legal protection given to diplomats serving in foreign countries,
ensuring they cannot be prosecuted under their host country’s laws. But diplomatic personnel are
individually granted immunity under agreement by both Turkey and Saudi Arabia.

41
If, as reports suggest, Khashoggi was murdered by Saudi operatives flown in specifically for the act,
they would not enjoy the same immunities as consular staff might. “Those people were like a death
squad who just turned up on private jets,” says Professor Madawi Al -Rasheed, the editor
of Salman’s Legacy: The Dilemmas of a New Era in Saudi Arabia. “That’s not somebody with
diplomatic immunity.”

In theory, this means that Khashoggi’s alleged killers could be prosecuted in Turkey. “Turkey could
seek an international arrest warrant for them,” Akande says. “If they’re Saudi, Saudi Arabia won’t
turn them over. But they probably won’t be able to go anywhere else.”

But even if they did have diplomatic immunity, it doesn’t shield perpetrators of major crimes. The
Vienna Convention says immunity can be annulled in the case of a “grave crime” pending the
decision of a “competent judicial authority.”

That might be the next step for the international community. Rights groups including Amnesty
International and Human Rights Watch called on the U.N. on Thursday to open an independent
investigation into Khashoggi’s disappearance.

“My own view is that the issue is beyond any debate or discussion as to whether international law is
on MBS’s side,” says professor Nader Hashemi, director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the
University of Denver. “It’s pretty clear the circumstantial evidence points to the murder of Jamal
Khashoggi, and now Saudi Arabia has to account for the crime.”

Consulate vs. Embassy

An embassy is the main location for a diplomatic presence of one country in another. A country has at
most one embassy in another country, and most embassies are located in capital cities. Consulates
are like branch offices of the embassy; a nation can have several consulates in another country,
usually located in all major cities of that country.
Political and diplomatic relations are usually handled from the embassy. Consulate workers handle
travel and immigration issues, help in improving trade between the countries, and facilitate cultural
exchange.

Comparison chart

Differences — Similarities —

Consulate versus Embassy comparison chart

Consulate Embassy

Definition A diplomatic representation of a country’s The primary diplomatic representation of a

42
 Consulate versus Embassy comparison chart

Consulate Embassy

government, functioning as an extension of an country’s government.

embassy.

Purpose Assistance of expats and tourists, public Communication between governments,

administration. implementing and promoting home
country’s foreign policy.

Headed by Consul General Ambassador

Locations Large metros, financial capitals, tourist National capital cities.

locations.

Multiple Yes, most of the times. No, each country has one embassy in other
locations in countries.
a foreign
country?

Sovereign Yes. Yes.

Territory?

Importance “Branch” offices of embassy. Primary diplomatic location, represents

head of state.

Services Issuing passports/visas, keeping birth and Transmit messages of home government,
and marriage records, and assisting in embassy report on events in host country, prepare
Functions goals. treaties and state visit

Why are Embassies and Consulates needed?

A country chooses to establish an embassy or consulate in another country to maintain ongoing
relationships in the areas of political alliances, trade, cultural ties, and to help citizens who travel to or
from either country. The embassy is the seat of political exchange, so it is usually located in the capital
of the host country. Consulates are located in other major cities — financial capitals, tourist areas or
large cities with healthy job markets.
High-Level Functions
Embassies are the center for high-level government interactions, and play a role in major international
relations, such as preparing treaties and arranging official state visits. Foreign governments
communicate with one-another via their respective embassies. Embassies also promote their home
culture and foreign policy, monitor the status of events in the host country, and protect the rights of
their citizens traveling abroad. Most embassies also have a military attaché who is responsible for
communication between the two militaries. The head of an embassy is the ambassador, who is the
official representative authorized to speak on behalf of the head of state of the country.
Consulates, while having the same official duties as embassies, usually operate as lesser branches
that deal with more administrative issues. The top priority of consulates is to generally assist citizens of
the home country traveling or living abroad. This may involve helping citizens who have been detained
by authorities or injured in the country, and monitoring the security situation in the area.
Administrative Functions

43
 Many embassies have a consular section that deals with public administration and other consulate
functions. In countries where there is only an embassy and no consulate, the embassy carries out all
functions of both.
A lot of consulate business involves performing administrative functions, including renewing and
replacing passports, and keeping birth, death, and marriage records. Consulates also issue visas to
foreigners and inform them about immigration, residence, and visas and work permits.

Jurisdiction
Even though embassies and consulates are located in another country, they are legally considered
territory of the country they represent. So the host country does not have jurisdiction inside the
embassy of a foreign country. For example, when Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng was trying to
flee politically motivated persecution in China, he fled to the U.S. embassy in Beijing. Chinese officials
do not have jurisdiction within the boundaries of the U.S. embassies; for all practical purposes, Mr.
Guangcheng was in the United States as long as he was inside the embassy.

Locations
Embassies are almost always located in the host country’s capital city. There are exceptions such
as Israel, where embassies are located in Tel Aviv rather than Jerusalem because the international
community does not recognize Jerusalem as a capital, and Taiwan, whose sovereignty from China is
not recognized by many nations. The United States does not have an embassy in North
Korea, Cuba, Bhutan or Iran.
Consulates are often established in larger countries and countries hosting many tourists and expats
from another country, and may be located in large cities or tourist centers. For example,
the Russian embassy in the United States is located in Washington, D.C., and there are Russian
consulates in New York City, San Francisco, Seattle, and Houston.
Is an embassy sovereign territory?
This theory of "the extraterritoriality" of the Embassy premises is no longer postulated by many
doctrinaires.

A piece of land may belong to you if you bought it, but it is still subject to the regulations of your country.
For instance, your government will regulate what you can and cannot do in your land. You may built your
house if you wish but probably within certain parameters --for example, you can't build a hut, a store,
industrial premises or a garage in a residential area, nor, say, you could start oil exploration or mining in
the lot if the area is not approved for that.

The sending country may buy the land and build the Embassy, but it will be subject to the same limitations
you have when building your house. The Embassy's country laws will never apply.

The difference between you and the Embassy reside in the immunities and privileges you as a citizen don't
have but the Embassy enjoys. Unlike your house in case of disturbs or an emergency, local authorities
cannot enter the premises of the Embassy unless expressly authorized by the Head of Mission. There are
limitations to these privileges; for example, the Embassy still has to pay their telephone, gas, water,
electricity consumption or any other bills incurred by it or any effective service received.

To learn more about those immunities and privileges you may google the 1962 Vienna Convention on
Diplomatic Relations.

Yes, it is supposed to be just like being in the country of the embassy. One recent example is Julian Assage
of Wiki Leaks has hung out in the Ecuadorian embassy in England for several years to avoid extradition to
Sweden for sex charges. Sweden would likely extradite him to the US wants to try him for leaking classified
US documents. So he is staying put in the Ecuadorian embassy because once he sets foot out of the embassy
onto English soil he will be arrested and extradited to Sweden.

An example of a country not respecting the sovereign territory of an embassy was when the Iranians
stormed the American embassy in Teheran and took those in the embassy hostage. Once they got into the
quagmire of disrespecting another countries embassy it was difficult to reverse themselves and save face.

44
A host country that does not respect the sovereignty of another countries embassy in the host country risks
being ostracized in the world. Usually severe sanctions follow as Iran experienced. It’s not that the US was
the sympathetic victim it’s that every other countries embassy in Iran was threatened. Many countries
turned their backs on Iran at least publicly. Others empathized with Iran because the US had propped up
the Shah, who was not a benevolent leader, and believed the US got what it deserved for meddling in Iran’s
political system.

Foreign embassies, consulates, missions etc in a given country are considered sovereign
states (of the country represented). However, the land and space around the embassy (etc.)
is not and is property of the host country.

Consul general[edit]
A consul general is an official who heads a consulate general and is a consul of the highest rank serving at
a particular location. A consul general may also be responsible for consular districtswhich contain other,
subordinate consular offices within a country. The consul general serves as a representative who speaks
on behalf of his or her state in the country to which he or she is located, although ultimate jurisdiction over
the right to speak on behalf of a home country within another country ultimately belongs to the single
ambassador. It is abbreviated "CG", and the plural form is 'consuls general'. In most embassies, the
consular section is headed by a consul general who is a diplomat and a member of the ambassador's
country team.
A consul is an official representative of the government of one state in the territory of another, normally
acting to assist and protect the citizens of the consul's own country, and to facilitate trade and friendship
between the people of the two countries.[1]
A consul is distinguished from an ambassador, the latter being a representative from one head of state to
another. There can be only one ambassador from one country to another, representing the first country's
head of state to that of the second, and his or her duties revolve around diplomatic relations between the
two countries; however, there may be several consuls, one in each of several major cities, providing
assistance with bureaucratic issues to both the citizens of the consul's own country traveling or living
abroad and to the citizens of the country in which the consul resides who wish to travel to or trade with the
consul's country.

What is the task of an

What is the task of a Consulate?
Embassy?

An Embassy is the diplomatic A Consulate is the representation of the public administration

representation of a country's
government in another country.
It transmits messages of its home
government to the government of
the host country and vice versa.
It informs its home government
about important political, social,
economical, military and other
events happening in the host
country.
It prepares international
treaties and official state visits.
It promotes its own home culture,
economy and science in the host
country.
of a country in a foreign town.
First of all it is responsible for its own fellow- citizens, living or
travelling in the host country. The most important duties of a
consulate are:
to establish and renew passports and other official documents
to report Births, Deaths, Marriages, Divorces, Adoptions etc.
happened in the host country to the competent authorities home.
to inform its own citizens living abroad about the social
security situation
To handle the military formalities and control for its own citizens
liable to military service.
To help its own citizens in distress or other emergency
situations.

The military attaché is responsible To look after its own citizens in detention or arrest and to watch
for contacts between the two armed

45
forces and for arms business. over the rule of law and fair trials.

Many embassies (but not all of To establish entry visas to foreign citizens and to inform them
them) have a consular about immigration-, residence- and work permits.
section exercising the functions of a
consulate (see the green column on
the right side).

Special Cases: Special Cases:

The diplomatic representation to an
international organization (e.g. the
United Nations or the European
Union) is mostly called Mission,
Permanent Mission or Delegation.
A High Commission is the
Embassy of a member country of the
British Commonwealth in another
Commonwealth country.
A Consulate General is a big and important consulate, mostly in a
large city.
A Honorary Consulate or a Consular Agency has only limited
competences. It is not managed by professional consular officers,
but by a honorary consul. Most of them are distinguished business
men or women or other trustworthy persons.
In Capital Cities, the duties of a consulate are carried out often
(but not always) by the Consular Section of the Embassy.

A Nunciature ist the name of the

embassy of the State of Vatican.

Till the middle of the 20th Century,

there was a difference between an
embassy and a legation. Only the
diplomatic representation of a
monarchy were called "embassy".
Republican countries had
"legations". Nowadays this
distinction is antiquated. All
countries, wheter monarchies or
republics call their diplomatic
representations "embassies".

What is the jurisdiction of the Khashoggi murder case?

Ask Question

up vote12down votefavorite
1
Today, I read that Turkish president Erdogan wants the Saudi hit squad that killed journalist Jamal Khashoggi to face
justice in Turkey for their role in the murder.

There seems little doubt that a murder occurred; there seems little doubt that the murder occurred inside the Saudi
consulate in Turkey. If that is the case, then the murder occurred on Saudi soil, and thus the perpetrators should be
facing Saudi justice - not Turkish.

I'm not at all interested in the politics of the case, only the legal jurisdiction of a case like this. Since the case is
ongoing and facts may change, for purposes of this question, assume that it is the case that a murder occurred in the
Saudi consulate, and the perpetrators were Saudi nationals.

Is it true that consuls are territories of the countries they represent, and not of the area they take up? Where do crimes
get adjudicated in cases like this? Are there different protocols to handle certain kinds of crimes? Does it depend on a
treaty between two countries, or is this standard international law?

46
 international jurisdiction murder

shareimprove this question

asked Oct 23 at 16:38

Andrew Jennings
19115
 7
Consulates & embassies are not "foreign soil". 'The Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961' says
that they should be inviolable", but they're still the territory of the host country. – brhans Oct 23 at 17:40
 A consul is a person. The place where the consul works is a consulate. – phoog Oct 24 at 7:07
 Also, the road from the consulate to the woods, is most certainly not inviolable – Strawberry Oct 24 at 13:30
add a comment
3 Answers

activeoldest votes

up vote16down vote
According to Wikipedia's article Diplomatic Mission:
Contrary to popular belief, most diplomatic missions do not enjoy full extraterritorial status and – in those cases – are
not sovereign territory of the represented state. Rather, the premises of diplomatic missions usually remain under the
jurisdiction of the host state while being afforded special privileges (such as immunity from most local laws) by the
Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. Diplomats themselves still retain full diplomatic immunity, and (as an
adherent to the Vienna Convention) the host country may not enter the premises of the mission without permission of
the represented country, even to put out a fire.
(Supporting citations omitted)
According to its article on Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations key provisions include:
Article 22. The premises of a diplomatic mission, such as an embassy, are inviolable and must not be entered by the
host country except by permission of the head of the mission. Furthermore, the host country must protect the mission
from intrusion or damage. The host country must never search the premises, nor seize its documents or property.

Article 29. Diplomats must not be liable to any form of arrest or detention. They are immune from civil or criminal
prosecution, though the sending country may waive this right under Article 32.
However, people who are not diplomats do not have automatic protection from arrest, and the idea that an embasy is
the "soil" of the country it represents is largely obsolete. See This stack exchange politics question.
So if Turkey were to obtain custody of people it accused of doing the killing, and if those people were not accredited
diplomats, it could try them under Turkish law. Whether any of that is likely to happen is another question.
shareimprove this answer
answered Oct 23 at 17:45

David Siegel
5,119828
 This assumes that Turkey does not have any provisions of its own that go above and beyond the Vienna
Convention. I highly doubt they do, but a citation stating something about it explicitly would be a nice
addition; so would an explicit statement about Turkey's adherence to the Vienna Convention. – jpmc26 Oct
24 at 5:20
 treaties.un.org/pages/… lists Turkey as a state party as from 6 mar 1985. I have no idea about any additional
provisions of Turkish law. – David Siegel Oct 24 at 20:03
add a comment
up vote8down vote
The answer of @David Siegel is correct as far as it goes.

47
 I would further venture the opinion that it is very likely that even though the Saudi Arabian embassy is not the
territory of Saudi Arabia, that diplomatic immunity would very likely pose a bar to the prosecution of at least some of
the defendants in a case if one was brought in Turkish courts and would make prosecution of a criminal case in the
Turkish courts as a practical matter very difficult. It is possible that some of the defendants, however, would lack
diplomatic immunity.

His answer does not address the further question of whether Saudi Arabia would have jurisdiction to try and
criminally punish Saudi Arabian officials who committed a murder at a Saudi Arabian diplomatic complex in Turkey.
The answer is that it would have jurisdiction to do so.

But, there are strong indications that the murder was committed by Saudi Arabian officials under official lawful orders
from the superiors of those officials with the authority to give those orders (e.g. someone in the Crown Prince's office
with whom there were at least four phone communications with the presumed murderers that day):
The Saudi entourage who went to the embassy in Turkey to cut off journalist Jamal Khashoggi's fingers, inject him
with a drug to silence him, and dismember him with a bone saw made four calls that day to Saudi Crown Prince
Mohammed bin Salman's office, according to Turkish media reports. The Crown Prince denies knowing anything
about the gruesome torture/murder of Khashoggi, who was a US resident. Three of Khashoggi’s children are US
citizens.
Those official orders provide provide a valid legal defense under Saudi Arabian law (to the extent that Saudi Arabia as
an absolute monarchy can even be said to have rule of law in a complete and meaningful sense) to charges under
Saudi Arabian jurisdiction that those officials engaged in murder.

Outside the criminal justice process, there are a variety of diplomatic and military options available to the Turkish
government.

The most obvious is that it could (and likely will) expel the diplomats involved from Saudi Arabia and possibly the
entire diplomatic mission from Saudi Arabia from Turkey. It could also withdraw its own diplomats from Saudi
Arabia.

Turkey would also very likely be considered justified in its actions by the community of nations if it authorized the
used of military force including summary assassination against the Saudi Arabian individuals it finds to have been
involved, outside the criminal justice process as a political determination, although this justification would likely not
extent to the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia even if Turkey founds that he gave an order lawful under Saudi Arabian
law directing the torture and murder of this individual.

The Turkish government could also probably have a basis for pushing a war crime type prosecution of at least some of
the people involved.

More extremely, Turkey could declare war on Saudi Arabia generally in retaliation for this action, although this level
of escalation would be considered disproportionate by most international observers standing alone.

Also, because the victim was a lawful U.S. resident, employee of a U.S. newspaper, and parent of U.S. children, it isn't
inconceivable that the United States government, as well as the Turkish government, would have standing to take
diplomatic or legal action against the Saudi Arabian government, although again, diplomatic immunity might bar a
criminal prosecution against some of the defendants.

The issue of whether diplomatic immunity protects diplomats from prosecutions under the laws of countries other than
the host country is to the best of my knowledge not a question governed by clear precedent.

shareimprove this answer

edited Oct 23 at 21:34
answered Oct 23 at 20:36

ohwilleke
46.5k255118
 Can you clarify what "war crime type prosecution" means? – Beanluc Oct 23 at 23:51
 1

48
 @Beanluc An ad hoc tribunal comparable to the International Criminal Court to which neither Saudi Arabia
nor Turkey are parties. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Criminal_Court – ohwilleke Oct 24 at 3:19
 A country would definitely have a right to get involved if one of its citizens was murdered, but I'm surprised
that being a US resident, employee of a US corporation, or parent of a US citizen should give any rights to
US protection when abroad. Do you have any evidence for this claim, or is it speculation? – Michael Kay Oct
24 at 7:46
 @MichaelKay A country can take diplomatic action if its interests are harmed. This need not be linked to
citizenship and is a political matter. The U.S. has a legal obligation to help its citizens, but its authority to
take diplomatic action is not so limited. For example, many countries took diplomatic action in connection
with a Russian assassination of a British citizen on British soil that may have manipulated diplomatic
immunity and abused international law. – ohwilleke Oct 24 at 11:50
add a comment
up vote0down vote
Based on the international law, Turkey has full jurisdiction over its territory, inclusive diplomatic missions. The
jurisdiction has to respect the international treaties, like the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which do not
allow to search the diplomatic mission without approval of Saudi Arabia, or prosecute diplomats. Therefore, the
jurisdiction is clearly the one of Turkey. Although the search of the diplomatic premises or the prosecution of
diplomats can be done only with the approval of Saudi Arabia, this does not exclude the Turkish jurisdiction over the
case. Those limitations are based on the Turkish law, which also includes its duties from the Vienna Convention, since
Turkey is a member state of the Convention.

However, some countries prosecute their own nationals for crimes committed abroad, since they are not allowed by
their law to extradite their own nationals. In such a case, Saudi Arabia can use its jurisdiction over its own nationals to
prosecute the perpetrators, too. Based on such an act of the relevant body of Saudi Arabia, the jurisdiction of Saudi
Arabia would be also given. There would be two jurisdictions applicable then, which is quite normal in international
cases.

In the criminal law, there is the rule of "lex locus acti", which says that the law which should be applied to the case
shall be the law of Turkey, where the crime was committed. In case that Saudi Arabia shall prosecute the perpetrators,
the law of Turkey shall be applied. However, if the law of Saudi Arabia offers lesser punishment as a result of such a
case, the Saudi law shall be applied in favor of the perpetrators to the extent of the qualification s or punishment, if the
case shall be judged under Saudi jurisdiction, since the Saudi nationals should be not punished more by Saudi courts /
authorities based on foreign law as if judged on the base of the Saudi law.

Here’s how the Saudi crown prince could face international justice
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and his henchmen might believe they are outside the reach of
international justice following the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. But they shouldn’t be so sure.
There are a range of ways the Saudi leader and the other perpetrators could be punished for their alleged
crimes, in both civil and criminal courts all over the world.

“If the reports are accurate, the acts against Mr. Khashoggi are serious violations of international human
rights law, including the law to protect the individual from torture and forced disappearance,” said Stephen
Rapp, the former U.S. State Department ambassador-at-large for war crimes issues.

Seeking justice and accountability for Khashoggi’s killing will not be easy, but several mechanisms do exist
to go after MBS, as the crown prince is known, and the Saudis who reportedly carried out the murder, Rapp
said. Khashoggi’s family has the right to pursue justice in civil courts, and prosecutors in several countries
could also bring criminal charges, based on international law and precedent.

“These kinds of acts give rights to the victims and others to raise this issue in international bodies and may
open possibilities of private litigation,” Rapp said. “Stronger than that are the possibilities that the torture
and forced disappearance of Mr. Khashoggi, and the murder being the worst of it, would open the way for
prosecution in third countries of those involved in these acts.”

Criminal prosecutions of MBS and other Saudi officials could be brought under the U.N. Convention against
Torture, to which Saudi Arabia is a signatory. The convention prohibits acts that inflict “severe pain or
suffering … inflicted by or at the instigation of or with the consent or acquiescence of a public official or
other person acting in an official capacity.”
Through the principle of universal jurisdiction, any country that is a party to the convention, including the
United States, could refer a case to the International Court of Justice and seek an order for Saudi Arabia to

49
 prosecute or extradite MBS and the other suspects. A recent example is when Belgium brought a case
against Senegal seeking the extradition and prosecution of Hissene Habre, the former president of Chad, for
crimes against humanity.
The United States and the Trump administration have resisted the principle of universal
jurisdiction, for fear American officials could face charges. But other countries, such as
Germany, have been more aggressive in prosecuting crimes such as torture and forced
disappearance no matter where they occurred. In June, Germany’s chief prosecutor issued
an international arrest warrant for the head of the Syrian Air Force’s Intelligence Directorate
on the charge of war crimes.
“You could argue the Saudi approach to their enemies is a widespread and systematic attack against a
civilian population, in which case murder, torture and forced disappearance would be a crime against
humanity, which would be prosecutable by an international tribunal,” Rapp said.

As of Monday morning, the Saudi government was still characterizing the killing of Khashoggi, a Post
contributing columnist, as a “rogue operation” and claiming the crown prince was not aware or involved.
President Trump, despite saying Saudi official stories have included “deception” and “lies,” still refuses to
say that MBS himself is responsible.
But under international and U.S. law, even if MBS can’t be proven to have known about Khashoggi’s killing
in advance, he would still be culpable because he had command responsibility over the killers. For example,
U.S. federal courts in 1995 ruled that Guatemalan Defense Minister Héctor Gramajo was responsible for the
rape and torture of Sister Dianna Ortiz by forces under his control.

“Liability under the principle of ‘command responsibility’ requires showing of effective control, reason to
know of conduct and failure to prevent the acts or punish those directly responsible,” Rapp said.
“Scapegoating would not count as punishment and would make it worse for MBS.”

Serving a U.S. arrest warrant or lawsuit on MBS or any of the other perpetrators might be impossible if they
don’t actually enter the United States. But if any of the suspects ever sets foot on U.S. soil again, that person
could be arrested and charged according to U.S. law. MBS, as a high-ranking diplomatic official, might
claim immunity, but that would be for the courts to sort out.

MBS and the other suspects are also personally vulnerable to various types of civil litigation. Khashoggi’s
family members could sue in U.S. courts under the Torture Victim Protection Act of 1991, which gives U.S.
courts jurisdiction over torture committed by anyone, anywhere. Khashoggi’s family could also sue under
the Alien Tort Claims Act of 1789. That law has been used to sue human rights violators, including Sudanese
President Omar Hassan al-Bashir. “If I was the family, I would be looking at that option,” Rapp said.
Congress could also pass a law allowing Khashoggi’s family to sue the Saudi state, as it didfor the victims of
the 9/11 attacks, over the objection of the Obama administration.
All of these paths toward justice and accountability for Khashoggi’s killing require those who care about rule
of law, international justice and human rights to fight to enforce them. MBS may believe he has enough
power, influence and invincibility to escape real justice — and he may be proven right.

But he can never be sure. And for the rest of his life, MBS will enjoy the pariah status afforded to other
international human rights violators. Whenever he or his accomplices travel to a country where human
rights are enforced, they will have to worry if they would be held accountable for Khashoggi’s killing and
various other crimes.

Khashoggi's brutal killing could lead to charges against Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman under
international law. But experts say the Saudis will 'never go along.'

 The killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi could potentially lead to charges against Crown Prince
Mohammed bin Salman under international law.
 But experts say that would never happen without an independent investigation.
 Sherine Tadros, head of the UN office for Amnesty International in New York, says the UN needs to head an
independent investigation into Khashoggi's death.

50
 But even if an independent investigation was carried out, experts say Saudi Arabia would work to ensure he
wouldn't face any consequences.

The troubling killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi could potentially lead to charges against Crown
Prince Mohammed bin Salman under international law, experts say, if an independent investigation is
carried out.

But experts say Saudi Arabia would work to ensure no matter what that he wouldn't face any consequences.

Khashoggi, who wrote for The Washington Post and was often critical of the Saudi government,
disappeared after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2.

After weeks of denials, the Saudis acknowledged he was killed in the consulate. The Saudis have since
acknowledged that Khashoggi's killing was "likely" premeditated but have attempted to distance the crown
prince from the incident.

But multiple accounts have suggested that the crown prince, informally referred to as MBS, orchestrated the
events that led to Khashoggi's killing. Khashoggi was reportedly killed in a brutal fashion that involved
torture, and reports indicate his body was dismembered.

Some believe MBS could, and should, possibly face justice in civil and criminal courts.

'The acts against Mr. Khashoggi are serious violations of international human rights law'

Stephen Rapp, the former US State Department ambassador-at-large for war crimes issues, recently told
The Washington Post that the killing amounted to "serious violations of international human rights law,
including the law to protect the individual from torture and forced disappearance."

International law and precedent could allow prosecutors in several countries to bring charges against MBS,
and Khashoggi's family could also potentially bring a case against him in civil courts, Rapp told The Post.

For example, the UN Convention against Torture, of which Saudi Arabia is a signatory, could pave the way
for charges to be brought against MBS or other Saudi officials.

Countries that are signatories of the convention, via the principal of universal jurisdiction, could refer a case
to the International Court of Justice, or ICJ. The court could pursue an order for Saudi Arabia to prosecute
or extradite MBS and the other officials suspected of being involved, Rapp said.

Rapp also said that even if MBS didn't know about the operation, as the Saudis have claimed, he could still
be viewed as culpable under US and international law due to what's known as "command responsibility,"
because of his authority and responsibility over those involved.

But not all legal experts are convinced such scenarios are realistic.

'The Saudis will never go along'

Bradley P. Moss, a Washington, DC-based lawyer specializing in national security, said the possibilities
outlined by Rapp could be done "in theory."

51
"Realistically speaking, however, virtually none of these options will be likely to come to fruition absent
significant pressure from the US (and President Trump in particular)," Moss told Business Insider.

Moss said there's no reason to believe the Saudis would allow MBS to be extradited to face
justice on the international level or in Turkey, where the killing occurred.
President Donald Trump has defended Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman amid allegations his
government had Washington Post reporter Jamal Khashoggi killed.Jonathan Ernst/Reuters

"The ability to prosecute someone of MBS' level of seniority and authority is contingent on the approval of
that person's country, and the Saudis will never go along with that idea voluntarily," Moss added.

But Moss did say that if global arrest warrants are issued for MBS, he could be "largely confined to Saudi
Arabia for many years for fear of extradition."

"It may be that MBS personally faces sanctions of some kind by the United States and other countries, and
that Saudi Arabia as a country faces some political and financial pressure for a few years," Moss said. "That
is likely to be the extent of what occurs though."

'The first step of course is an actual credible investigation'

Sherine Tadros, head of the UN office for Amnesty International in New York, says the UN needs to head an
independent investigation into Khashoggi's death before discussing potential charges against MBS or other
Saudi officials.

There are two current investigations into Khashoggi's killing: one by the Turkish government and the other
by the Saudi government. Neither have been particularly transparent, and many of the reports surrounding
Khashoggi's death have been based on leaks from Turkish officials.

"What we have are two so-called investigations," Tadros told Business Insider.

"The Saudis keep changing their mind," Tadros said. "They don't even know where the body is, yet they are
sure that nothing is linked to the crown prince."

Tadros said if it turns out MBS was involved in Khashoggi's death, then Amnesty would love to see "justice
go all the way to the top."

"But the first step of course is an actual credible investigation," Tadros said, adding that the Turkish
investigation has been "highly politicized" and the way in which they've leaked information is "highly
suspect."

Tadros said the "best shot we have" at true justice is a "UN investigation that will be transparent, not
politicized, and credible."

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was "deeply troubled"after Riyadh confirmed Khashoggi
was killed in the consulate, and called for a "prompt, thorough, transparent" probe into the incident.

'There's a war on freedom of expression, and freedom of speech, and credible journalism'

52
Tadros said the most "realistic" way for such an investigation to occur is for Turkey to write a letter to
Guterres formally requesting a probe.

But Tadros also said both Turkey and Saudi Arabia have reasons to be against a full and independent
investigation.

"At the end of the day the Saudis have clearly had a very destructive hand in the events that went on inside
of that consulate," Tadros said. "They don't want to see a real investigation happen."

She also said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's troubling record on press freedom might make him
reluctant to set a precedent in which the UN investigates crimes against journalists on Turkish soil. But
Turkey this week said it would cooperate if the UN and other international bodies call for an independent
probe.

Khashoggi's killing has "garnered so much incredible attention," Tadros said, that she's deeply concerned
about the message sent "to dictators and leaders who attack journalists on a day by day basis if nothing
happens."

"There's a war on freedom of expression, and freedom of speech, and credible journalism, and I think we
are losing that war," Tadros said.

Only an international court can bring Khashoggi’s killers to justice

Geoffrey Robertson
A trial in Turkey would run into serious problems. Instead, the UN security council must
step in to find out the truth

The slaying of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi was a barbaric act, ordered and carried out by barbarians. It
cried out for justice – which means, inevitably, a trial. Yet all the British government is demanding is an
“investigation” – by the same Saudi state that spent 17 days lying about its responsibility and is still offering
unbelievable excuses for the murder. Any Saudi investigation would, at most, offer up a few scapegoats who
would be subjected to a secretive procedure and in reality punished for their incompetence rather than their
guilt.

But this was an international crime that took place in breach of United Nations conventions in the precincts
of a consulate enjoying inviolability under international law. It involved the silencing of a US-based
journalist for exercising the right of freedom of speech – a right also belonging to all his potential readers,
and guaranteed under every international human rights convention. It was an action by a UN member state
that threatens peace and security and it should be taken up by the UN security council, which has acted
before to set up tribunals to deal with similar atrocities – the assassination of the Lebanese prime minister
Rafik Hariri, for example, and the Lockerbie bombing.

Sign up to the Media Briefing: news for the news-makers

Read more

President Erdoğan has called for a trial of the suspects – most obviously, the 15-strong hit squad – to take
place in Turkey. That would be reasonable were it not for the fact that Erdoğan himself has emasculated
Turkey’s legal system by sacking so many judges, imprisoning lawyers and using the courts to persecute his
own journalist critics. Moreover, any trial in Turkey would run into evidential problems resulting from the
inviolability of the consulate, an issue that need not trouble an international court set up by the security

53
council. And even if Saudi Arabia were prepared to extradite a few of the killers to Turkey, they would be
schooled and rehearsed and forbidden (even if they knew) from identifying the men who gave the orders.

There are enough precedents for the security council, under its chapter VII power, to act so as to avoid
international conflict, to set up a court to research and punish the carefully planned assassination of a
journalist in a member state by agents of another member state. There are plenty of experienced judges
available who have dealt with atrocities in the Balkans, Rwanda and Sierra Leone, and prosecutors well
qualified for mounting cases of international crimes. The Turkish authorities have ample evidence against
the immediate perpetrators and western and Israeli intelligence agencies can undoubtedly supplement what
is already known about the Saudi chain of command.

Jamal Khashoggi: murder in the consulate

Read more

Continuing pressure from the security council and orders by the court, backed by sanctions against
powerful Saudis (preventing them from travelling to Europe or using schools and health services), trade
boycotts and sanctions, and threats of diplomatic isolation, could force the Saudi crown prince, Mohammed
bin Salman, to send suspects to The Hague, as it forced Gaddafi to cooperate over Lockerbie, and to disclose
evidence that, when analysed together with other evidence, might lead a chief prosecutor to include him in
the charge sheet – at least as an “unindicted co-conspirator”. Only an international legal process can
establish with any credibility whether Bin Salman actually gave the lethal order, or perhaps said in the
manner of King Henry II: “Will no one rid me of this troublesome priest?”

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Realpolitik – as Jeremy Hunt has hinted and Donald Trump has megaphoned – dictates that Saudi Arabia
is too important to be pushed too far because of its oil wealth, its arms purchases and its intelligence about
terrorists. The most disgraceful moment for British justice came when our highest court yielded to demands
from the Blair government to drop the bribery case against BAE and its high ranking Saudi recipients. The
crown prince himself may be too big to jail, but the only prospect of getting at the truth about this hideous
event will come from the establishment of an international court.

• Geoffrey Robertson QC is author of Crimes Against Humanity: The Struggle for Global Justice

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The path(s) to justice in Jamal Khashoggi's murder

In an emotional address to Turkey's parliament today, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan described the
murder of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi as a savage and premeditated act and demanded that Saudi
officials be brought to Turkey to stand trial. Most of the information about the investigation that has
emerged has come through leaks to the Turkish media. So the fact the Turkey's president would put his
personal prestige on the line raised the stakes considerably.

What Turkish investigators appear to have uncovered thus far about the crime is astonishing. A good deal
has been independently corroborated by journalists and media organizations, such as The New York Times,
which demonstrated that several of the men allegedly dispatched from Riyadh to carry out Khashoggi's
murder and dismemberment are part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's security detail.

But given Turkey's record as the world's leading jailer of journalists and a systematic violator of media
rights, it is clear that whatever motivation Erdoğan has for taking on the Saudis is not a deep and abiding
respect for press freedom. Turkey's judiciary is hardly independent; political dissidents have faced
systematic state-directed persecution. Ensuring the credibility of the probe is one reason that Turkey should
request that the United Nations establish an international investigation, as CPJ, Human Rights Watch,
Amnesty International, and Reporters Without Borders outlined in an appeal made at the U.N. on October
18.

So far, Turkey is not playing ball. But there are other ways to secure the U.N.'s involvement, as noted in
a Washington Post opinion column from David Kaye and Agnes Callamard, the U.N. special rapporteurs on
free expression and summary executions, respectively. The Security Council or the Human Rights Council
based in Geneva can also authorize a U.N. investigation.

As Kaye and Callamard noted, U.N. involvement is crucial to ensuring transparency and accountability and
could form the basis for punitive actions against Saudi Arabia, including the "possible expulsion of
diplomatic personnel, removal from U.N. bodies (such as the Human Rights Council), travel bans,
economic consequences, reparations and the possibility of trials in third states."

The U.N. investigation could also serve as the basis for a criminal case under the U.N. Convention against
Torture, to which Saudi Arabia is a signatory. The convention bans torture "inflicted by or at the instigation
of or with the consent or acquiescence of a public official or other person acting in an official capacity."
Under the principle of universal jurisdiction, the case could technically be brought by any country that is
signatory to the convention, including the United States.

In fact, a credible international investigation does not absolve the United States of its responsibility to
pursue justice. On October 2, 22 U.S. senators sent a letter to President Donald Trump, formally triggering
a provision of the Magnitsky Act, which requires the president to determine "whether a foreign person is
responsible for a gross human rights violation." Such investigations, which are generally carried out by the
State Department, can be used by the Treasury Department to impose sanctions on anyone "deemed
responsible for a serious rights violation such as torture, prolonged detention without trial, or extrajudicial
killing of someone exercising freedom of expression."

Given the gravity of the Khashoggi killing and the demand for action, CPJ is calling on the State
Department to complete a preliminary investigation within 45 days, by November 16. At that point, the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee should hold a hearing on Saudi Arabia to consider evidence of official
involvement in the Khashoggi murder, the systematic persecution of journalists in the kingdom, and
possible responses, including sanctions, travel bans, prohibitions on arms sales, and other punitive
measures. Given his business dealings with Saudi Arabia, President Trump is personally conflicted. Thus
far, he has failed to articulate a coherent response to the Khashoggi murder. That's why the foreign policy
debate must take place in public rather than behind closed doors. The Senate is the best venue.

55
The Justice Department also has a role. Because Khashoggi was not a citizen but a permanent resident, and
because his murder is alleged to have been carried out by a government rather than a terrorist group, there
are significant obstacles to a criminal investigation. But given the heinous nature of the crime and
Khashoggi's connection to The Washington Post, the FBI should explore possibilities, including securing a
request for cooperation from Turkish officials. It's worth noting that CIA Director Gina Haspel is currently
in Turkey.

Finally, Khashoggi's children, some of whom are U.S. citizens, and his employer, The Washington Post, may
be able to bring civil claims in the United States. As Post opinion writer Josh Rogin outlined in a recent
column, the Torture Victim Protection Act of 1991, which gives U.S. courts jurisdiction over torture
committed anywhere in the world, and the Alien Tort Claims Act, which has been used to sue to human
rights abusers, are two possible avenues.

In order to be successful, any legal effort requires some level of cooperation from Saudi officials, which is
why U.S. businesses must use whatever influence they have. The refusal by many to participate in the Saudi
Future Investment Initiative is a good first step. U.S. lobbying firms should decline to take on a Saudi
account until a credible and independent investigation is underway. The vast constellation of public
relations firms, think tanks, and other interests who deal with the kingdom must not simply return to
business as usual, no matter how much money is at stake.

There is no single path to justice in the Jamal Khashoggi murder. Precisely because of Saudi influence,
there needs to be multiple efforts on different fronts. No one should be naive about the possibility of
success. At the same time, everyone should recognize the consequences of failure. The brutality of
Khashoggi's killing has captured the world's attention, and it demands an extraordinary response. Already,
28 journalists have been murdered around the world in 2018, a dramatic increase from the past two years.
If the Saudis can get away with the monstrous conspiracy to murder Jamal Khashoggi, then no journalist
anywhere is safe.

How the Murder of Jamal Khashoggi Could Upend the Middle East

Before the world even learned his age, it could glean that the young man who runs Saudi Arabia
takes extraordinary chances with violence. Mohammed Bin Salman, the prince now known by the
global shorthand of MBS, was utterly unknown when his father ascended to t he Saudi throne in
January 2015. It was a routine transfer of power from one elderly royal to another, until King
Salman delegated a massive share of his authority to his son. Within two months, the newly minted
Defense Minister launched a war in Yemen that has shattered what was already the poorest country
in the Arab world. He turned out to be 29.

More than three years on, none of the tens of thousands dead in Yemen have drawn a fraction of the
attention now concentrated on Jamal Khashoggi, the Saudi journalist and commentator who fled
the kingdom after finding himself on MBS’s bad side, and reportedly paid for it with his life. The
grisly crime holds the power to transform the crown prince into a pariah, and perhaps even upend
the Middle East order he had made his personal project, with the help of a flattered U.S. President.
“I think his image is now irreparably tarnished, if not shattered,” says Bruce Riedel, director of the
Brookings Intelligence Project and author of Kings and Presidents: Saudi Arabia and the United
States Since FDR. “It has unmasked him as a reckless, dangerous, thuggish autocra t.”

56
Khashoggi’s reported murder and dismemberment likely occurred on Oct. 2 in Istanbul, inside the
Saudi consulate. He may well have gone there assuming that certain fundamental norms of decency
remained in place. After all, if diplomatic compounds are associated with anything beyond
diplomacy, it is refuge. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, for example, has been under the
protection of Ecuador inside its London embassy since 2012.

Outrages appear more shocking in settings that signal decorum. Yet the depr avity reportedly visited
upon Khashoggi, then upon his corpse–by a team of 15 Saudis, one with a bone saw–was of another
order of magnitude. As reported by Turkish officials who say it was captured on audio, the murder
advertised barbarism and broadcast impunity.

The question is whether Donald Trump sees that as such a bad thing. The President is deeply
invested personally in the Saudi leader and more broadly in the abandonment of the international
rules-based order. He has embraced despots and at the U.N. General Assembly exalted not
universal rights that transcend borders but, rather, “sovereignty” –the freedom to do as you wish
within your own. And by custom the Saudi consulate, tucked on a side street in Istanbul, was
sovereign territory of the kingdom.

“Here we go again with, you know, you’re guilty until proven innocent,” Trump complained on Oct.
16, in his third attempt to gloss the affair. First the President pointed ly noted Khashoggi, a
permanent U.S. resident, was “not a citizen.” Then, as he sent Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to
Riyadh, he floated a theory after speaking to King Salman. Perhaps it was “rogue killers,” he said. It
was left to the New York Times, a few hours later, to deflate the theory by locating several of the
suspects in the crown prince’s entourage.

CCTV footage from Oct. 2 shows a Saudi jet at Istanbul’s Ataturk airport, suspects at the airport
and Khashoggi entering the Saudi consulate that day

AFP/Getty Images

CCTV footage from Oct. 2 shows a Saudi jet at Istanbul’s Ataturk airport, suspects at the airport
and Khashoggi entering the Saudi consulate that day

AFP/Getty Images

CCTV footage from Oct. 2 shows a Saudi jet at Istanbul’s Ataturk airport, suspects at the airport
and Khashoggi entering the Saudi consulate that day

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Reuters

Khashoggi was no outsider. At 59, he had worked both within and without the Saudi royal
court, edited an establishment newspaper, even served as spokesman for a Saudi ambassador to
Washington. But he was associated with a branch of the Saudi family tree that had lost power.
Worse, he was unable to curb a habit of speaking plainly. Khashoggi insisted on publicly
confronting a crown prince who wanted only congratulations for allowing women to drive and
movie theaters to open.

“I have been told that I need to accept, with gratitude, the social reforms that I have long called for
while keeping silent on other matters,” Khashoggi wrote in the Washington Post in May, “ranging
from the Yemen quagmire, hastily executed economic reforms, the blockade of Qatar, discussions
about an alliance with Israel to counter Iran, and last year’s imprisonment of dozens of Saudi
intellectuals and clerics.” When he exiled himself from Saudi Arabia in 2017, he left behind his
family. He eventually moved to Istanbul, where he became engaged. The new marriage required
proof he was divorced. He contacted the Saudi consulate and was told when to come in.

Ten hours before his appointment, in the dead of night, a private jet landed in Istanbul, and the 15
Saudis assembled. Captured on Turkish surveillance cameras, the team’s presence was open to
interpretation. As Pompeo set off, Saudi officials floated in the media a narrative that Khashoggi
was targeted only for interrogation, but things went awry, his death unplanned.

But the story that took hold was the lurid chronology that had already emerged from Istanbul –one
that unnamed Turkish officials claim is supported by graphic audio t hat apparently captures the
gruesome murder, preceded by the severing of fingers. Trump said on Oct. 17 that he has asked
Turkey for the tape “if it exists.” A second private flight arrived from Riyadh four hours after
Khashoggi disappeared into the consulate, and was on the ground for only an hour. Before
returning to Riyadh, it swung down to Egypt, a Saudi ally, where it remained for about 27 hours.
The other plane stopped in the United Arab Emirates, another Gulf monarchy, one that functions as
Saudi Arabia’s soul mate in foreign affairs. The leaders of all three countries differ with Turkish
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on obscure but very deeply felt questions of how Muslim nations
should be governed (Erdogan is a fan of the Muslim Brotherhood, which the others loathe). The
rivalry at least suggests why Turkey has been so keen to make Saudi Arabia look bad.

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All this would be a challenge to any U.S. President. It’s even more complicated for Trump, who
has gladly returned the Saudis’ embrace, making Riyadh his first overseas trip. After he took office,
Saudi Arabia nearly tripled its spending on lobbying in D.C. to $27 million in 2017, according to
data compiled by the Center for International Policy that was provided to TIME. MBS cultivated
Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner, scion to scion, and spoke the transactional
language of Trump by professing interest in arms deals said to be worth $110 billion (though few
have yet come to fruition). Trump even argued after Khashoggi’s disappear ance that the risk to
defense-sector jobs tied his hands.

The private sector differs on that. Despite having earlier embraced MBS as a transformational
figure, Wall Street figureheads and media companies pulled out in droves from a glittering
executive summit in Riyadh in late October, and at least three Washington lobbying firms dropped
the Saudis as a client. While Pompeo was all smiles in Riyadh, repeating a Saudi promise of a
“transparent” inquiry, some White House allies recoiled. “This guy is a wrecki ng ball,” Republican
Senator Lindsey Graham said of MBS on Fox & Friends, calling on the crown prince to relinquish
power. “He had this guy murdered at a consulate in Turkey, and to expect me to ignore it? I feel
used and abused.”

Almost every member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations signed a letter to set in motion
the Global Magnitsky Act, which could produce sanctions that would freeze the funds of any foreign
officials implicated in crimes. And even before Khashoggi was presumed dead, the Sen ate came
within 11 votes of denying Saudi Arabia the military support it needs to prosecute the war in
Yemen.

But there are limits to the U.S. response. “Some of my colleagues say, ‘That’s it. We’re going to cut
Saudi Arabia off like a dead skunk,'” says Republican Senator John Kennedy. “That’s magical
thinking.” The U.S.-Saudi alliance, while never comfortable, is old and deep. There is an inertia
generated by shared interests, including healthy oil markets, intelligence exchanges and, not least,
zealous opposition to Iran. “We can’t deal with Iran. We tried. They’re a cancer on the Middle
East,” Kennedy notes, and the Saudis placed this shared enmity at the center of their pitch to
Trump. The Khashoggi incident threatens the U.S. strategy to contain the Is lamic Republic. On
Nov. 5, the U.S. will reimpose sanctions targeting any customer of Iran’s oil markets. Their success
may rest on Saudi Arabia’s ability to serve the businesses and countries no longer able to trade with
Tehran.

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For now, though, the Iranians are quietly savoring the sight of their regional archrival cast in the
role of barbarian. “The Iranians see MBS as the gift that keeps on giving,” says Riedel. “His reckless
war in Yemen, his undermining of the Saudi brand, his weakening the internal s ecurity of the
kingdom by alienating members of the royal family. The Iranian press has had a field day with the
Little General, as they call him.” Khashoggi’s death, in other words, is also a grievous wound the
Saudi leadership has inflicted on itself. In a March interview with TIME, the crown prince declared:
“Any problem in the Middle East, you will find Iran.” Not this one.

UN Urges Saudi Arabia, Turkey to Lift Diplomatic Immunity in Khashoggi Probe

Human rights chief calls on Riyadh and Ankara to reveal everything they know about the fate of missing
Saudi journalist and dissident

UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet called on Saudi Arabia and Turkey on Tuesday to reveal
everything they know about the disappearance and possible murder of missing journalist Jamal Khashoggi
and said Riyadh should waive immunity on its diplomatic premises and officials.

Overnight, Turkish crime scene investigators entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, the last place
Khashoggi was seen before vanishing on October 2, for the first time and searched the premises for over
nine hours, Reuters witnesses said.

In a statement, Bachelet welcomed the investigators being given access to the consulate,
despite a two-week delay, and called on authorities of both countries to ensure that "no
further obstacles are placed in the way of a prompt, thorough, effective, impartial and
transparent investigation."

She urged both countries to reveal everything they know about Khashoggi's "disappearance and possible
extra-judicial killing."

"Given there seems to be clear evidence that Mr. Khashoggi entered the Consulate and has never been seen
since, the onus is on the Saudi authorities to reveal what happened to him from that point onwards," she
said.

Khashoggi, a U.S. resident, Washington Post columnist and leading critic of Prince Mohammed, vanished
after entering the consulate to get marriage documents.

Turkish officials say they believe he was murdered there and his body removed.

CNN and The New York Times reported Saudi Arabia was preparing to acknowledge Khashoggi's death in a
botched interrogation, after denying for two weeks any role in his disappearance.

It was important to immediately lift immunity for any premises and officials bestowed by the Vienna
Convention on Consular Relations, she added.

"Under international law, both a forced disappearance and an extra-judicial killing are very serious crimes,
and immunity should not be used to impede investigations into what happened and who is responsible,"
Bachelet said.

Jamal Khashoggi: Does diplomatic immunity make it possible to get away with murder?
Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi went missing last week while visiting the Saudi Arabian
consulate in the Turkish city of Istanbul.

Key points:

60
  Turkey claims journalist was dismembered in a Saudi consulate
 Diplomats are protected from potential criminal charges
 Items can be smuggled out of the country in diplomatic bags

Khashoggi, an Al Watan and Washington Post journalist known for his strong critiques of authorities in
Saudi Arabia and ruling Prince Mohammed bin Salman, had fled his home country last year to live in self-
imposed exile in the United States.

PHOTO: Turkish officials say they believe Jamal Khashoggi was killed inside the Saudi consulate in
Istanbul. (AP: Hasan Jamali, file)

During a trip to Turkey, he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to get papers ahead of his marriage, but
he hasn't been seen since.

It's been alleged he was killed in the country's consulate — here's what you need to know.

What happened?
Friends say Khashoggi went to the consulate last Tuesday to obtain the documents he needed to marry his
Turkish fiancee, Hatice Cengiz.

Ms Cengiz said she waited for hours, but Khashoggi didn't come out.

According to the Washington Post, Ms Cengiz said Khashoggi was concerned he would not be allowed to
leave — before entering the consulate, he gave her his phone and instructions to call a Turkish official if he
did not return.

His friend, Turan Kislakci, said Turkish officials told him that Khashoggi had been "killed in a barbaric way".

What are Turkey and Saudi Arabia saying?

PHOTO: Questions remain over what happened to Mr Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate. (AP: Lefteris
Pitarakis)

Turkish officials say they have concrete evidence Khashoggi was murdered and his body was removed —
but they haven't presented it.

They allege he was tortured, killed and cut into pieces.

Turkey says a team of 15 Saudis arrived at the consulate last Tuesday (local time) and it is believed they
are involved in Khashoggi's disappearance. They left for Riyadh, the Saudi capital, the same day.

Saudi Arabia has said the accusations are "baseless" and claims Khashoggi left the consulate shortly after
he arrived.

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume.

VIDEO: Investigators could still find clues at the consulate, says FBI veteran Martin Reardon (The World)

Saudi Consul-General Mohammad al-Otaibi said Saudi officials were searching for the journalist and gave
a tour of the consulate to Reuters reporters to prove Khashoggi was not there.

Saudi Arabia has now invited Turkish experts and related officials to visit the consulate, according to
Turkey's foreign ministry.

Searches of diplomatic buildings are incredibly rare — under international law, the grounds of an embassy
or consulate are considered to belong to the country that is represented there, not the host nation.

What evidence has been released?

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PHOTO: CCTV footage from outside the consulate appears to show Khashoggi entering the
building. (Hurriyet via AP)

A surveillance image has emerged that shows Khashoggi entering the consulate on the day he
disappeared. The CCTV image, obtained by the Washington Post, was reportedly leaked by somebody
"close to the investigation".

Meanwhile, Turkish authorities are scouring motorway camera footage in the hopes of finding a black van
they suspect carried Khashoggi's body out of the consulate.

The van, which had diplomatic number plates, left in a convoy around two hours after Khashoggi entered.
Security footage shows boxes were loaded into the van.

While Turkish officials will soon be able to enter the diplomatic compound, there is concern that potential
evidence may be long gone.

"Embassy employees or consulate employees have plenty of time to clean a potential crime scene, and if
there was a crime, they certainly would have done that," FBI veteran Martin Reardon told the ABC's The
World program.

"But a good crime scene inspection or search often comes up with evidence that perpetrators bypass, it
could be some small piece of DNA, or hairs and fibre — something that can be tied to the victim."

Why is international law a factor?

PHOTO: International law provides a raft of privileges and immunities to foreign diplomats. (AP: Emrah
Gurel)

The Saudi consulate is located on Turkish territory, but under international law, a consulate is "absolutely
inviolable" by another country.

That means Turkish police cannot enter and search the consulate unless they get permission from the
Saudi authorities, which they have now reportedly received.

Ben Saul, Professor of International Law at the University of Sydney, says that a host state cannot interfere
with consulate communications, and crates are deemed to be "diplomatic bags".

This could in theory make it possible to smuggle goods — or potentially a body — out of the country.
If a crime did take place, it's possible no one would be held accountable as diplomatic immunity potentially
covers people involved in an alleged murder.

"Diplomats get absolute immunity from criminal prosecutions, so if an ambassador was involved in the
murder, they can't be touched," Professor Saul said.

Consulate officials, however, are not protected from prosecution for "grave crimes" such as murder, and
might also be subjected to a civil suit if Khashoggi's family chose to sue.

What's next?
PHOTO: A security guard closes the entrance to a blocked road leading to the Saudi consulate in
Istanbul. (AP: Emrah Gurel)

The disappearance of the prominent critic of the Saudi regime, which comes at a time of strained relations
between Saudi Arabia and Turkey, could cause a diplomatic crisis.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is demanding that Saudi Arabia prove its claim that Khashoggi
left the consulate, saying it was inadequate to simply say "he has left".

"When this person enters, whose duty is it to prove that he left or not? It is [the duty] of the consulate
officials," Mr Erdogan said this week.

"Don't you have cameras and other things? Why don't you prove it? You have to prove it."

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International pressure is also ramping up on Saudi Arabia to cooperate with the probe. US President
Donald Trump has told reporters he will speak with Saudi officials to discuss the case.

Twitter embed
Twitter: Mike Pence tweet

The UN's human rights office has said it would be "truly shocking" if the grisly reports coming from Turkish
officials are confirmed.

In the meantime, Turkey could declare individual Saudi diplomats as "persona non grata" — meaning they
are no longer recognised, ending their diplomatic immunity — or it could effectively close down the
consulate in order to gain access to the alleged crime scene.

"That is effectively terminating consular relations between Saudi Arabia on Turkish territory," Professor Saul
said.

"That's a pretty drastic step, but this is also a pretty drastic case."

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