UN expert 'glad' for Turkish probe of Khashoggi killing

Agnes Callamard hopeful to learn more about investigation of killing last fall at Saudi Consulate in Istanbul

By Emin Ileri and Kerem Alperen Kaya

ISTANBUL (AA) - Praising the Turkish investigation of last fall’s killing of a journalist at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, a UN official on Thursday said she hopes to get more information about the probe.

“We are glad about the [Turkish] investigation process,” Agnes Callamard, the UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, told reporters after a closed-door meeting in Istanbul with Hatice Cengiz, the former fiancee of late Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Callamard and her delegation have reportedly finalized their meetings in Istanbul and next are expected to meet with government and intelligence representatives in the capital Ankara.

On Wednesday, the UN delegation met with journalists, NGO representatives, and officials from the Turkish-Arab Media Association.

Callamard is set to stay in Turkey through Friday.

The UN Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner last week said that an international investigation under Callamard's authorization would "review and evaluate, from a human rights perspective, the circumstances surrounding the killing of Khashoggi."

Callamard is accompanied by Baroness Helena Kennedy, QC, and Professor Duarte Nuno Vieira from the University of Coimbra, Portugal.

The delegation on Wednesday inspected the area around the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, then spoke to Irfan Fidan, Istanbul’s chief public prosecutor.

Callamard is set to provide her findings and recommendation on the murder investigation to the UN Human Rights Council in June.

- Killing of Saudi journalist

Khashoggi, a contributor to The Washington Post, was killed at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2.

After producing various contradictory explanations, Riyadh acknowledged he was killed inside the consulate building, blaming the act on a botched rendition operation.

Turkey has sought the extradition of the Saudi citizens involved in the killing as well as a fuller accounting of the killing from Riyadh.

Kaynak: