EU remembers Khashoggi on anniversary of killing

By Diyar Guldogan

ANKARA (AA) - The European Union on Wednesday paid tribute to the memory of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was murdered last year inside the Kingdom’s Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey.

"One year after his murder many questions still remain unanswered. The European Union reiterates the need to ensure full accountability for all those responsible and insists on a credible and transparent investigation of the circumstances of the killing, as well as due process for the defendants undergoing trial in Riyadh," an EU spokesperson said in statement.

The spokesperson said that like Khashoggi, journalists are too often the target of attacks in many countries.

"On this occasion, the European Union reaffirms its unequivocal commitment to the freedom of the press and the protection of journalists across the world," read the statement.

Khashoggi, a Saudi national and columnist for The Washington Post, was killed and dismembered by a group of Saudi operatives in October 2018 shortly after he entered his consulate in Istanbul to acquire a marriage certificate.

After weeks of denying involvement, Saudi Arabia admitted that Khashoggi had been killed at the consulate but claimed that the royal family had no prior knowledge of a plot to murder him.

According to reports by the United Nations and other independent organizations, he was murdered and dismembered. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman accepted responsibility for the killing but denied ordering it.