Germany condemns Khashoggi’s murder, seeks transparency from Saudis

Germany has strongly denounced the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, rejecting Riyadh’s “inadequate” explanation on the death of the prominent critic.

"We condemn this act in the strongest terms," Chancellor Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said in a joint statement issued on Saturday.

Finally admitting that the writer had been slain at the Saudi diplomatic post, Riyadh has claimed Khashoggi died in a "fist fight" in the consulate. Saudi authorities say 18 Saudi suspects were in custody and intelligence officials had been fired.

The admission of Khashoggi's murder followed more than two weeks of denials by the kingdom of any involvement in his disappearance.

"We expect transparency from Saudi Arabia about the circumstances of his death ... The information available about events in the Istanbul consulate is inadequate," the German statement said.

Merkel and Maas expressed deep sympathy for Khashoggi's friends and relatives and said those responsible for his death must be held to account.

In an address to the regional convention of her Christian Democratic Union party in eastern Germany on Saturday, Merkel portrayed the “horrific events” surrounding the journalist’s killing as a warning that democratic freedoms are under assault across the globe.

“They still haven’t been cleared up and of course we demand that they be cleared up,” she said.

'Cozying up to Riyadh'

Meanwhile, the deputy leader of the German Left parliamentary group, Sevim Dagdelen, on Friday called for a ban on arms sales to Saudi Arabia. The regime in Riyadh has been leading a deadly campaign against Yemen since March 2015. Riyadh also keeps its brutal clampdown against political dissidents.

"Neither war crimes nor the worst human rights violations, including the bestial killing of regime critics," had deterred the government from its "murderously cozying up" to Riyadh, she said, calling for an end to arms exports to "the criminal regime in Riyadh."

According to Germany’s Economy Ministry, Berlin gave the green light to arms exports worth some €254 million ($291 million) to Saudi Arabia in the third quarter of this year.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian condemned the killing and said, "France condemns this murder in the strongest terms."

"The confirmation of Mr. Jamal Khashoggi's death is a first step toward the establishment of the truth. However, many questions remain unanswered."

Denmark unconvinced

Meanwhile, Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen also said he was unconvinced by Saudi’s explanations of the circumstances concerning the journalist’s death.

 “The fact that the Saudis last night confirmed that he died, after previously insisting he left the consulate alive, shows that we haven’t been told the full truth, and we must insist on getting that,” Rasmussen said on Saturday.

‘Shocking’ killing

He made the remarks after talks with his Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte, who said Khashoggi’s killing was “shocking.

The two European leaders expressed support for an investigation into Khashoggi’s death by the United Nations and other Western powers.

Spain ‘dismayed’ by Saudi reports

Also on Saturday Spain said it was "dismayed" by information from Riyadh about the death of Khashoggi.

"The Spanish government is dismayed by early reports from the Saudi prosecutor about the death of the Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, and offers its most sincere condolences to his family," Spain said in a statement.

It also called for a thorough and transparent investigation into the case to bring to justice those responsible for the incident.

'Khashoggi body's fate to be discovered before long'

A senior Turkish official said Saturday that "before long" investigators are likely to find out what happened to the body of the slain Saudi journalist.

The Turkish official, who was speaking on condition of anonymity, said hat DNA samples were being obtained from the Saudi consulate and the consul's residence in Turkey, Reuters reported.

"We'll find out what happened to the body before long."

"The DNA is being procured from within Turkey. It seems there will be no need to ask Saudi Arabia at the moment," the official said.

PressTV-World must slam Saudi war on Yemen, Khashoggi murder

An academic says the world should criticize Saudi Arabia’s war on Yemen while condemning the murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Turkey’s investigation into Khashoggi's murder has led the police forces to comb a forest near Istanbul and a farm house in the seaside city of Yalova, a 90-kilometer (55 mile) drive south of Istanbul, to find the remains.

The senior Turkish official said investigators were still focused on the Yalova and Belgrad Forest areas, and were looking at CCTV footage from near Belgrad Forest.

Investigators were also still examining traffic records of every car that went in and out of the mission on October 2, when Khashoggi was last seen entering the building, the official said.

Khashoggi had been there to obtain a document certifying he divorced his ex-wife.

Amnesty International said Riyadh’s explanation of Khashoggi's death in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul appeared to be a whitewash of "an appalling assassination."

The rights group said the "impartiality" of a Saudi probe into the case would remain in question after the kingdom admitted that Khashoggi had been killed inside the consulate.

PressTV-Khashoggi case 'whitewash' raises international alarm

Leading rights groups and media watchdogs have expressed alarm at a possible "whitewash" in the investigation into Saudi Arabia's murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

The Saudi claim contradicts other narratives.

Turkish officials told The New York Times that Ankara had audio evidence proving Khashoggi was tortured, killed and subsequently dismembered by a hit squad of Saudi agents.

Turkish media 'want justice for Jamal'

Turan Kislakci, president of the Turkish Arab Media Association, said Saturday that the "authority that gave the orders" to kill the dissident journalist should be punished.

Kislakci, who was speaking outside the Saudi consulate, said Khashoggi was "slaughtered by bloody murderers" and that his group wants "true justice" for its slain member.

The deputy head of Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party said Saturday that Turkey would "never allow a cover-up" of the murder.

Numan Kurtulmus also said that Turkey would share its evidence of Khashoggi's killing with the world and that a "conclusive result" of the investigation is close.

Kurtulmus said he thought "it's not possible for the Saudi administration to wiggle itself out of this crime if it's confirmed."

Leyla Sahin Usta, senior member of Turkey's ruling AK Party, said it would have been "more valuable" if Saudi officials had admitted that Khashoggi was killed in its diplomatic post.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk