Jamal Khashoggi: Saudi Arabia declares that the journalist died in a "heated fight" at the Istanbul consulate

For 18 days, Saudi Arabia repeated the same version: the journalist who had disappeared at the consulate of Istanbul on October 2, had left after to be documented .

This Friday Finally, he admitted that he had died during a "heated fight".

In a televised message, the Saudi government reported that an initial investigation by the Attorney General suggested that Khashoggi was "in discussion" at the consulate when a fight broke out and had a fatal outcome.

The journalist is murdered and dismembered in the consulate by fifteen or so Saudi officers who travel expressly to Turkey to meet him.

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According to the statement Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz dismissed deputy intelligence chief Ahmed al-Assiri and Saud al-Qahta. nor, deputy head of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Three other officials also lost their seats and 18 suspects were arrested.

The Saudi government has also announced the creation of a commission to investigate the events and its composition. National Security Officials, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of the Interior.

The Saudi king also ordered the formation of a ministerial committee to restructure the intelligence services, headed by the Crown Prince, who already controls most of the country's powers.

US President Donald Trump this week sent his state secretary, Mike Pompeo, to Riyadh to meet the King of Saudi Arabia and obtain information on the case.

In a series of tweets, the president said the journalist could have died and promised " severe penalties " if the Saudi government's intervention was to be confirmed.

Who was Jamal Khashoggi?

Khashoggi, 59, lived in a self-imposed exile in the United States, because of his critical attitude towards his country's government and Saudi participation in the the Yemeni war.

He worked as a columnist for the The Washington Post and was previously editor of the newspaper Al Watan and a Saudi information network.

For years, he was perceived as a close to the royal family and even became an adviser to senior officers.

After the arrest of several of his friends during the purges initiated by bin Salman, his column in the al-Hayat newspaper was canceled and he would have been warned that he was not continuing to tweet.

"I left my home, my family and my job and I raise the voice . Not to do so would betray those who languish in prison, I can speak while many others can not " wrote in September 2017.

How did he disappear?

Khashoggi went to the consulate of Saudi Arabia in Istanbul on October 2 to obtain a document certifying the divorce of his ex-wife in order to marry his Turkish girlfriend, Hatice Cengiz.

Saudi Arabia had first badured that on its offices after completing the proceedings, but Cengiz denounced the fact that he had waited in front of the consulate for eleven o'clock ] but his boyfriend never showed up.

The bride badures that before entering, Khashoggi had asked her to call an adviser to the Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, if he did not come back .

Turkey claims to have audio and video recordings showing that Khashoggi was killed by a team of Saudi agents, although he did not prove his existence.

with the government of Ankara, published in recent days scary details on alleged recordings such as screams during interrogation and acts of torture attributed to Khashoggi.

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Turkish reports indicate that the 15 alleged Saudi agents (including one doctor) Autopsies) flew out of Istanbul the day of the disappearance and took away a bone saw.

What was the reaction after the announcement?

In a statement released shortly after the news, the Blanca House declared that she felt deeply saddened by [1945910] and expressed her "sincere condolences" to the journalist's relatives.

"We will continue international investigations into this tragic incident and will advocate for prompt, transparent and due process justice," the text said.

Although Trump on Thursday threatened the "Riyadh" government with harsh penalties, he also stated that he did not agree with Ar Abia Arabia was treated as "guilty until". To the contrary ".

He further stated that he would not terminate military contracts with that country because he did not want "to cause prejudice to ". [19659003] US Senator Lindsey Graham (Republican) expressed on Twitter his skepticism about the report on the death of the journalist and found difficult of to believe to a Saudi explanation.

They claimed that Khashoggi left the consulate and that any Saudi participation would have been rejected. Now, a fight broke out and he was killed at the consulate, all without the knowledge of the Crown Prince, "he said.

The incident has already caused a considerable tension Between Saudi Arabia and Its Western Allies

Several politicians withdrew from a conference on planned investment in the country next week, including the US Treasury Secretary, a major setback for the crown prince, who is looking for this event ] for your reform program

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