Hanan Elatr, the widow of the late Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi called on Turkey to provide more evidence on the murder of her husband.
Jamal Khashoggi’s wife wrote an article for the Guardian newspaper, on the fourth anniversary of the assassination of Khashoggi, at the consulate of his country, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in the Turkish city of Istanbul.
Hanan Elatr, the Egyptian woman who married columnist Jamal Khashoggi in Virginia in 2018, wrote that on this day four years ago, the world lost a brilliant thought leader, journalist, husband, father and grandfather, Jamal Khashoggi.
“As his widow, my loss was compounded by the cover-up of exactly what happened in the days and weeks leading up to his premeditated murder.”
According to the author, key elements of the evidence that answer the vexing questions in the case of Jamal’s murder are on his personal devices, which are two mobile phones, a laptop and a tablet.
Khashoggi’s widow believes that these devices will reveal previously undisclosed details about his murder, which are necessary to know the full truth and advance the cause of justice. But these devices are in the possession of the Turkish government.
The writer adds that in 2019, Agnes Callamard, the former United Nations special rapporteur who investigated the murder of Khashoggi, requested his devices from the Turkish authorities, who told her that they were holding Jamal’s phones and devices as part of their investigations, and that the examination of those devices was already continuing.
The writer explained that she had recently submitted a request through her lawyer to the Turkish ambassador to the United States to obtain these devices, as she personally asked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, but to no avail, and finally last week she resorted to the US Director of National Intelligence, Avril D Haines, to help her in that.
“I have asked her to formally request Turkey to return this key evidence, in light of imminent legal action in the United States.”
Since Turkey has made it clear that it does not intend to proceed with the investigation into Jamal’s murder or the trial proceedings, it should hand over any evidence still in its possession to his wife.
“As Jamal’s only wife upon his death, I want all parties to be held accountable for my husband’s murder, including the governments of Saudi Arabia and the UAE and the NSO Group.”
“It is critical to the cause of justice to know whether Jamal’s devices have been infected with NSO spyware. Turkey should turn over these devices now,” she concluded.
Who was Jamal Khashoggi and why was he murdered?
59-year-old Jamal Khashoggi was a journalist based in the United States, and an outspoken critic of the Saudi regime, and wrote several articles critical of Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the Washington Post.
On October 2, 2018, the ambassador of Saudi Arabia ordered Khashoggi to go to the kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul to receive some documents for his upcoming marriage to Elatr.
Agents of the Saudi government killed Khashoggi inside the consulate and apparently dismembered his body, which has never been found. Saudi Arabia charged eleven people with the murder and brought them to a trial that was held in secret. So far, no one has been convicted.
The four-page American intelligence report, issued by Biden’s director of national intelligence, Avril D Haines, made public the assessment that the Saudi crown prince approved an operation in Istanbul, Turkey, to capture or kill Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
The intelligence report concluded that Khashoggi was seen as a threat and the Saudi prince “widely endorsed the use of violent measures if necessary to silence him.”
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said in an interview with the CBS 60 Minutes program that was aired on September 29, 2019, that he bears “full responsibility” for the horrific murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, but denied allegations that he ordered it.
