UN: Khashoggi killing 'perpetrated by Saudi officials'

By Fatih Hafiz Mehmet

ANKARA (AA) - The last fall killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in kingdom's Istanbul Consulate was "planned and perpetrated by Saudi officials", UN special rapporteur said on Thursday.

Agnes Callamard, the UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, recently visited Turkey with a team of experts in an international inquiry into killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

"Evidence collected during my mission to Turkey shows prime facie case that Mr. Khashoggi was the victim of a brutal and premeditated killing, planned and perpetrated by officials of the State of Saudi Arabia,” Callamard was quoted as saying in a statement.

Callamard added: "Turkey’s efforts to apply prompt; effective and thorough; independent and impartial; and transparent investigations -- in line with international law -- had been seriously curtailed and undermined by Saudi Arabia."

According to the statement, the killing of Khashoggi violated "both international law and core rules of international relations, including the requirements for lawful use of diplomatic missions".

Callamard also thanked Turkey for its support during her visit to the country over international inquiry into crime.

Khashoggi, a contributor to The Washington Post, was killed at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2.

After producing various contradictory explanations, Riyadh acknowledged he was killed inside the consulate building, blaming the act on a botched rendition operation.

Turkey has sought the extradition of the Saudi citizens involved in the killing as well as a fuller accounting of the killing from Riyadh.