UN calls for 'credible' probe into Khashoggi murder

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UN chief Antonio Guterres called Sunday for a "credible" probe into journalist Jamal Khashoggi's murder in Saudi Arabia's consulate in Istanbul.

"It is absolutely essential to have a credible investigation and to have the punishment of those that were guilty," Guterres said at a conference in Doha.

The UN chief said he had no information on the case except what had been reported in the media.

Khashoggi, a Saudi contributor to the Washington Post, was killed on October 2 shortly after entering the kingdom's consulate in what Riyadh called a "rogue" operation.

Saudi Arabia has repeatedly rejected Turkish demands to extradite suspects connected to the murder of the journalist.

Turkey's foreign minister said on Sunday that Saudi Arabia has not yet shared information on a "local collaborator" in his country. Mevlut Cavusoglu said at the conference that Riyadh has neither disclosed the name nor the facial composite of a suspect in Turkey.

On Saturday, Cavusoglu said that his country would "not give up" on establishing the truth about the murder.

Earlier this month, the minister said Turkey was in talks over a possible United Nations investigation into the killing which has provoked global outrage.

According to Turkey, a 15-member Saudi team was sent to Istanbul to kill Khashoggi. Riyadh has since detained 21 people over the murder.

Despite speculation that the powerful crown prince ordered the hit, the kingdom has strongly denied he was involved.

The murder has damaged Riyadh's international reputation, and Western countries including the United States, France and Canada have placed sanctions on nearly 20 Saudi nationals.

(Cover Photo: A video recording of a speech by Hatice Cengiz, fiance of Jamal Khashoggi is played during a memorial service for the Saudi Journalist at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, DC, November 2, 2018. /VCG Photo)

Source(s): AFP