Jamal Kashoggi's Murder Trial

"Burn them all"

-Aerys II Targaryen

On 2nd October, 2018, Jamal Khashoggi- a journalist and critic of the

Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, visited the Saudi consulate in Turkey to

obtain papers for his marriage. This was the last time he was ever seen.

The CIA believes that he was killed inside the Saudi consulate on the

orders of the Crown Prince. However, the Crown Prince has denied this

allegation.

On 3rd July, twenty Saudi officials were accused by a Turkish Court of

being involved in the killing of Jamal Khashoggi. The trial involves

twenty-six witnesses who are Turkish staff members- drivers, clerks,

translators, cooks, cleaners and a tea server.

Ahmed al-Asiri, the former deputy head of Saudi Arabia’s intelligence

agency, is being accused of establishing a hit team and plotting Jamal

Khashoggi's murder. Saud al-Qahtani, former royal court adviser, has

been charged with leading the operation and instructing the hit team.

Eighteen others have been charged for killing Jamal Khashoggi by

suffocating him.

The accused are currently being tried in absentia and are unlikely to be

handed over by Saudi Arabia. A trial in absentia allows for criminal

proceedings to take place even if the accused is not present in court.

Zeki Demir, a local technician who worked for the Saudi consulate in

Turkey said in court that he was made to light a tandoor oven less than

an hour after Jamal Khashoggi entered the building. He further said that

marble slabs around the oven had changed colour in such a way that it

seemed like it had been cleaned with a chemical. He also mentioned that

there was an "air of panic" in the Consulate and, “It was as if they

wanted me to leave as soon as possible.” This supports the theory that

Jamal Khashoggi was killed and then, his corpse was burnt.

However, the Saudi Ambassador's driver said that the Ambassador had

ordered raw kebabs from a restaurant and that was why they required the

oven to be lit.

At the trial, five Turkish employees of the Saudi Consulate said that they

never saw Jamal Khashoggi. However, one witness said that he had a

short conversation with Khashoggi before he entered the building, but

did not see him after that.

The trial got adjourned till 24th November in order to allow for

Interpol's response to Turkey's request of arresting those accused. This

trial would be the only opportunity Jamal Khashoggi’s family would

have to get justice for his murder.

Reporter : Haneen F