The pressure increases as the Saudi explanation for Khashoggi's death is questioned


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Statements from the UN, the EU and a number of Western governments have criticized the handling of the case by Riyadh, which went from general denial of any involvement to a admission, Saturday morning, of the murder of the journalist during his visit to the Saudi diplomatic forum. in the Turkish city.

According to the Saudi official line, Khashoggi died accidentally after a confrontation at the consulate in a fight.

A source close to the Saudi royal palace told CNN that the Saudis had concluded that the cause of Khashoggi's death was a strangulation or strangulation, but the authorities provided no evidence to support his conclusion.

The altercation involved several Saudi officials at the country's consulate in Istanbul, the statement said. The suspects subsequently tried to conceal the incident.

According to Turkish officials, 15 Saudis reportedly went to Istanbul on the day Khashoggi disappeared. They say privately that he was dismembered at the consulate, and the Saudi authorities have failed to produce his body or to say where they believe it.

A source close to the Saudi royal palace told CNN that the Saudis did not know where Khashoggi's body was. The source said the body had been handed over to a local "collaborator" after the killing, adding that he was not at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. CNN can not verify the assertion.

& # 39; Give us Jamal & # 39;

Addressing reporters in front of the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul on Saturday, Turan Kislakci, president of the Turkish-Arab Media Association and friend of Khashoggi, called on Saudi Arabia to hand over the journalist's body.

Turan Kislakci, president of the Turkish-Arab Media Association, talks with the media in front of the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul.

"Give us Jamal, so that we can have a funeral for him, so that all those who care about him, world leaders, can come here to Istanbul for burial," he said.

Jamal Khashoggi's fiancee writes him a message of farewell
Khashoggi's fiancée, Hatice Cengiz, reacted to the announcement of her death on Twitter Saturday evening.

She tweeted pictures of Khashoggi speaking and filming when a cat jumped unexpectedly onto his lap. He lowers his eyes and smiles. Khashoggi and the film crew laugh.

"They removed your physical presence from my world," Cengiz wrote. "But your beautiful laugh will remain in my soul forever."

Explanations "lack of credibility"

While the administration of US President Donald Trump continues to give the Saudi explanation at least a benefit of the doubt, some of the oldest allies in the United States have strongly criticized the version of the events of the Kingdom.

Canada issued a brief statement, questioning the Riyadh statement.

"The explanations given so far lack consistency and credibility," said Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland in a statement.

"We reiterate our call for a thorough investigation, in full cooperation with the Turkish authorities, and a full and rigorous account of the circumstances of Mr. Khashoggi's death.

How the Khashoggi Affair and its Impacts Affect Global Trade

"Those responsible for the murder must be held responsible and must face justice".

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was "deeply troubled" by the explanation, his spokesman said. German Chancellor Angela Merkel rejected the statement, saying her government was expecting "transparency in terms of deaths and backgrounds". The information given by the consulates in Istanbul is insufficient. "

In a statement by her High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, the European Union said that she insisted on "the need for thorough, credible and transparent investigations, so to clarify the circumstances of the murder and to ensure full responsibility of all those responsible. "

Saudi friends praise "transparency"

After Saudi Arabia released the results of its preliminary investigation on Saturday, its region's allies praised it for its "transparency".

In a statement, the UAE's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, "congratulated King Salman for his considerable efforts in exploring the truth and seeking legal accountability, which reflects transparency and justice in making its decision ".

Similar statements by Egypt, Bahrain, Jordan, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the Palestinian Authority expressed their solidarity with the Saudi position.

Turkey: we will not allow concealment

Omer Celik, a senior official of Turkey's ruling political party, also questioned the credibility of Saudi Arabia's explanation for Khashoggi's death.

"We do not blame anyone in a preventive way, but we will not allow any concealment," Celik said Saturday, when Turkey's first official reaction to Saudi Arabia's midnight declaration that Khashoggi's death was accidental.

"It is a matter of honor for us to find out, we will shed light on this issue using all the means at our disposal, it is the will of our President."

Why can Trump swallow the Saudi cover story

Trump, however, again told reporters that he believed the Saudi story was credible, although he added that there were still some issues, including where the police station was located. Khashoggi's body.

He had previously defended the Saudi King Salman and his de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, claiming that the two men had firmly denied knowing of Khashoggi's disappearance or his involvement in it.

Senator: Trump's position "lack of leadership"

Some members of the US Congress also criticized the Saudi explanation.

"To say that I am skeptical about the new Saudi story about Mr. Khashoggi is an understatement," said Senator Lindsey Graham, a senator from South Carolina, on Twitter.

Trump says that he believes the Saudi explanation of Khashoggi's death, but some lawmakers are skeptical

Mark Warner, a prominent member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, told CNN that the explanation "does not stand up to scrutiny and raises more questions than it answers," and called for a "comprehensive and truly independent inquiry".

"The Trump Administration's position once again demonstrates a lack of leadership, negating the influence of the United States on their strengths, interests and values."

Khashoggi's former employer, The Washington Post, has described Saudi history as "cover-up"

The publisher and general manager of the post, for which Khashoggi was a columnist, questioned the explanation of Saudi Arabia.

"The Saudi government has shamefully and repeatedly offered lie after lie for nearly three weeks that Jamal Khashoggi disappeared in his consulate in Istanbul," Fred Ryan said in a statement posted on Twitter.

"Offering no evidence, and contrary to all the available evidence, they are now waiting for the world to believe that Jamal died in a fight as a result of a discussion. This n & # 39; "It's not an explanation, it's a cover-up," Ryan said.

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