RIYAHD: Saudi Arabia “seriously curtailed and undermined” Turkey’s ability to investigate the murder of Jamal Khashoggi (pictured), a UN expert has said.
A preliminary report says it was 13 days before Turkey was allowed into the consulate where the journalist was killed.
Khashoggi was last seen alive entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2.
The 59-year-old was a prominent critic of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
US officials have reportedly said such an operation would have needed the prince’s approval.
But Saudi officials insist he was murdered by a “rogue” team of Saudi agents not acting on Prince Mohammed’s orders.
The country has put 11 people on trial for the murder and is seeking the death penalty for five of them. Saudi Arabia has refused to extradite its citizens to Turkey after the country issued arrest warrants for several Saudi officials.
UN special rapporteur Agnes Callamard, who is leading an international human rights inquiry into the murder, visited Turkey between 28 January and 3 February.
The preliminary report on the inquiry says Khashoggi “was the victim of a brutal and premeditated killing, planned and perpetrated by officials of the State of Saudi Arabia”.


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