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AFP
Turkish officers again searched Saudi Arabia's consulate in Istanbul Wednesday and Thursday
The Washington Post has published the latest column of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a call for press freedom in the Arab world.
The newspaper said it had decided to continue after Mr. Khashoggi agreed not to return home safely.
The journalist has not been seen since entering the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul on October 2, where Turkish officials claimed he was reportedly killed.
Saudi Arabia, which denies the killing, allowed the investigators to enter overnight.
Turkish crime scene teams were seen leaving the consulate early Thursday morning.
Sources close to the investigation said they had audio evidence of the torture and possible death of Mr. Khashoggi at the consulate.
However, these have not been made public.
On Wednesday, President Donald Trump said that the United States had requested registration "if it exists".
At the same time, politicians around the world have said they will not attend an investment conference in Saudi Arabia next week. However, a number of large corporations – including Goldman Sachs, Pepsi, Thales and EDF – still intended to disappear despite growing pressure for a boycott.
What does the last column say?
Karen Attiah, the editor of Global Post, said the column "makes perfect [Mr Khashoggi’s] commitment and passion for freedom in the Arab world ", adding that it was" a freedom for which he apparently gave his life ".
Ms. Attiah revealed that she was introduced the day after Mr. Khashoggi's disappearance. For a while, she "hoped that Jamal would come back to see us so that we could review it together," Attiah wrote. But realizing that this "would not happen", it was decided to publish the column.
Mr. Khashoggi – who himself was exiled last year after apparently being warned by Saudi officials to stop criticizing the Crown Prince's policy – has made a harsh criticism of the situation in the country. freedom of the press in the Arab world, which he said. leaves his people "uninformed or misinformed".
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AFP
Jamal Khashoggi had written for the Washington Post for a year
"The Arab world is confronted with its own version of an iron curtain, imposed not by outside actors but by national forces vying for power," he wrote.
"The Arab world needs a modern version of the old transnational media so that citizens can be informed of world events.More importantly, we must provide a platform for Arab voices."
He referred to the case of his fellow Saudi writer, Saleh al-Shehi, who, he said, "is currently serving a five-year sentence of unjustified imprisonment for allegedly contrary remarks to the Saudi establishment" .
"Such actions no longer have the consequence of a violent reaction on the part of the international community," he wrote. "Instead, these actions can trigger a conviction quickly followed by silence."
The result, he said, is that governments have "every latitude" to silence the media.
How is the investigation in Turkey?
On Wednesday and Thursday, investigators spent nearly nine hours searching for the residence of the Saudi consul, and then going to the consulate itself at about 200 meters (650 feet) away, according to L & H. Reuters news agency.
The team included prosecutors and forensic experts in white overalls.
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Several vehicles carrying Saudi diplomatic registration plates were filmed by CCTV cameras moving from the consulate to the residence just under two hours after Mr. Khashoggi's entry to the consulate on the day of his disappearance.
The consulate building was raided for the first time on Monday.
What is Trump's last position?
Saudi Arabia is one of Washington's closest allies and the disappearance of Khashoggi puts the administration in a delicate position.
Confirming that the band supposed to provide evidence of the murder had been requested, Mr. Trump added, "I'm not sure yet that it exists, probably exists, perhaps."
Mr Trump said he expects a report from State Secretary Mike Pompeo who has just visited Saudi Arabia and Turkey.
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The president said the truth would be unveiled "by the end of the week".
He rejected suggestions that he was trying to cover Saudi Arabia: "No, not at all, I just want to know what's going on."
In recent days, Mr. Trump has raised the possibility that "dishonest murderers" are behind the journalist's disappearance. He also warned against accusations by Saudi leaders, telling the Associated Press news agency that they were being treated as "guilty until proven otherwise."
What do we say about the recording?
Turkish investigators revealed at the beginning of their investigation the existence of audio evidence that Mr. Khashoggi – a critic of Saudi rulers – had been murdered.
Information published in the Turkish media gives horrible details about what it is said to be its last minutes.
A Turkish newspaper indicates that the consul himself, Mohammed al-Otaibi, could be heard in the audio recording of Mr. Khashoggi's death.
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The search of Saudi consular buildings continues
Yeni Safak, who is close to the government, quotes him as what he reportedly told Saudi agents sent to Istanbul: "Do it outside, you'll get me into trouble."
Mr. Otaibi returned to Riyadh on Tuesday.
The events of October 2
Mr. Khashoggi arrived at the consulate at 1:14 pm local time to make an appointment to obtain documents in order to marry his Turkish bride.
Saudi officials insisted that Khashoggi leave the consulate shortly thereafter and not suffer any damage.
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But Turkish officials believe that assaults and fighting took place in the building.
They claim that Mr. Khashoggi was killed by a team of Saudi agents suspected of entering and exiting Turkey on a video surveillance footage broadcast to the media.
The New York Times reports that four of the 15 agents have ties to Crown Prince Mohammed, while another is a senior official of the country's interior ministry.
