Jamal Khashoggi: Demonstration and vigil in Washington on the occasion of the third anniversary of the assassination of the Saudi journalist

According to Turkish and American officials, a Saudi assassination squad waiting for him in the consulate building – where he went to extract official papers to finalize his marriage transaction – strangled him and cut up his body, which did not ‘was therefore not found. far.

The crime shook world public opinion, thanks to a broad Turkish movement whose echoes still continue, and prevented the closure of the case by final decisions of the Saudi justice in 2020, which have been the subject of criticism.

At the time, Turkey indicted more than 20 Saudis, including former deputy head of general intelligence Ahmed Asiri and former Saudi royal court adviser Saud al-Qahtani, and said they were the main brains of the assassination. But Riyadh refused to extradite the accused.

After initially denying the crime, Riyadh launched investigations that ended with the confirmation of Khashoggi’s murder, the death row of five defendants and the imprisonment of three others, not counting Asiri or Al-Qahtani.

During the ceremony, Khadija Cengiz demanded that the US president keep his promise to punish Jamal’s killers.

She pointed out that “when Khashoggi was killed Donald Trump was President of the United States, and during his time Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was not punished, and arms sales to Saudi Arabia continued despite the crime “.

And she said, “At that time, Biden was running for president of the country, and he said at the time that Khashoggi and his relatives deserve justice. “

Cengiz appealed to Biden and his deputy, Kamala Harris, saying, “When are you going to keep your promises? When are you going to put your words into practice? Will the Biden administration continue its relations with the ‘Saudi Arabia as it always has been despite promises? “

Jenkins has expressed his displeasure at the meeting of US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan days before the anniversary of Khashoggi’s murder with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whom the US Secret Service accuses of having ordered. murder.

“Is this the responsibility that Biden promised?” She asked during the candlelight vigil.

The sister of Abdul Rahman Al-Sadhan, an employee of the Saudi Red Crescent, who was arrested in 2018 and sentenced earlier this year to 20 years in prison, participated in the podium in front of the Capitol, after using a fake Twitter account to criticize Saudi leaders.

Areej Al-Sadhan, who lives in California, said, according to what was reported by the French news agency, “They tortured him, broke his hand and smashed his fingers until he was killed. ‘they are twisted, saying: is this the hand you were tweeting with? “

She added that she had hoped that pressure from the new US administration would lead to her brother’s release, but that changed after Biden left Prince Mohammed bin Salman “with impunity”. “This is how Saudi officials responded to Biden’s generosity by committing more human rights violations,” she said.

As soon as the Jamal Khashoggi case disappeared, it returned to the forefront, with the appearance of any new information on the case or the anniversary approaching its assassination, and it is also present in the platforms. media when it comes to press freedom. .

Turkey is still trying in absentia 26 Saudis linked to the case, but human rights organizations fear a political impact on the justice system, especially with The development of Turkish-Saudi relations in recent times.