Jamal Khashoggi, A US-oriented journalist. In addition to that criticism of Saudi Arabia’s government was murdered brutally yet suspiciously on 2 October 2018 in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. After his death, there were different conspiracies and news that emerged. The news was emerging but the clarification of the news whether it was authentic or not was done from time to time. Due to this, the relations of Saudi Arabia and Turkey took a sharp turn that almost led the relations into a deep ditch where there seemed no return. Narratives of conflict emerged over how he died. As his remains were nowhere to be found. Which entity was to be blamed for the responsibility of the murder?
The eyes turned towards the Saudi officials who admitted that the journalist was killed in an operation called a “rogue operation” by a group that contains special agents, they were sent to talk into Jamal to return to the kingdom. Meanwhile, officials of Turkey claimed the agents acted on summons from the highest grade of the Saudi government.
Jamal was a prolific and prominent journalist. He was quite honest just towards his profession by writing true stories without considering the threats, he even wrote about the Al-Qaeda leader Osma bin Laden along with covering the Soviet invasion in Afghanistan. He was in proximity to the Saudi royal family inclusion to that he served as a consultant to the governmental framework. Nonetheless, things took a sharp turn in the life of a 59-year-old journalist when he was exiled to the United States in the year 2017. It didn’t demoralize his confidence and resilience to talk about the issue related to Mohammad bin Salman’s rule and kept on writing the column in the Washington Post
According to him the policies of MBS who was the son of King Salman were not flexible enough for a writer especially for a journalist, as a result, he called him a “De facto ruler“. Reports say that on 28th September 2018, Khashoggi first befell to acquire a document stating the proof that he had divorced his first wife to marry his Turkish Fiancèe Hatice Cengiz. Jamal was told that he could come on 2 October and on the same day he was murdered, his body was dismembered. His fianceè was in disbelief and agony, that something like this could not happen on turkish soil.
Turkey incenses the Saudis especially MBS by putting more focus on the investigation of the murder. Erdogan said that it was the “Highest level” of the Saudi administration who commanded the killing in response to that action KSA put coercion on Turkey’s economy directly by boycotting its imports. Three weeks after the murder, the most recent reports indicated that the body parts of Jamal had been found in the counsel general’s home that is located in Riyadh consul. That further escalated the hindrances in the relations of both countries.
In a speech, Tayyip Erdoğans said that
” Covering up this kind of savagery will hurt the conscience of all humanity”
Turkey put more emphasis on this murder as it is not reputable for the country as well as Ankara and Saudi Arabia are intertwined in a persistent rift in the region in the inclusion of the fact that the political ideas on the Middle Eastern Debate of the respective countries did not align together.
In the Egypt election in 2012, Turkey backed Mohamed Morsi who is a member of the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood group. After he won the election Riyadh was not satisfied that Morsi had put back Honsi Mubarak as they believed that Mulsim’s brotherhood would affect the monarchical roots and authority of KSA. Hence they supported the takeover of Abdel Fateh Al Sisi in a coup d’etat. In the analysis of this situation, Eissenstat tried to put his words to do the perfect allegory of the situation in the following words :
“ Saudi Arabs now face each other as leaders or heads on opposite sides of a grand Middle Eastern debate about stability versus populism. The two countries even have a lack of agreement on the power measuring criteria of the USA’s influence on the Middle East.”
US-Turkey relations reached a breaking point when Turkey withheld US pastor Andrew Brunson claiming that he was a spy, working with terrorist groups for two years. In reciprocation, President Donald Trump was sanctioned by placing tariffs on Ankara causing a serious impairment to Erdoğan’s economy.
After all the diplomatic consequences caused due to this murder, finally, the crown prince and President Tayyip Erdogan promised to reset and restart having good relations to end the quarrel between the two heavyweights of the region. After the killing Turkey’s president visited Saudi Arabia in 2022. The two discussed the Turkish-Saudi bilateral relations and procedures on how to develop them in all areas.
However many protested on this visit, as according to many this issue will remain as a bone of contention between the two countries. Due to this Eissenstat mentioned
“I don’t think Turkey is going to drop this,”
But some are still hopeful that this case will find justice specifically all the journalist who fought through their pens to revolutionize our minds, to enlighten us by highlighting the ills that are in our society. During the last decade, approximately 236 journalists were murdered in retaliation for the work they published. Tragically, 80 percent of the guilty did not get the just punishment or some did not even get it due to having a powerful background. Besides that people are still optimistic that Jamal, Arshad Sharif, Ghulam Asghar Khan, Lasantha, and Nabil Al-Sharbaji will get justice.
All the proof that was provided and was available suggested that the killing of Mr Kashoggi and the succeeding disappearance of the remains of the body were serious Human rights violations that fell under the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial Washington visited to Istanbul upon proposing Saudi Arabia for the investigation of the case they denied.
Journalism is not a crime in a world where there is an abundance of information flowing, this profession stands as the light for truth. It is not only a profession but is an integral pillar of democracy which is holding power and accountability of those who are power bearers. The darkest corners of the society are illuminated through the words of the journalist. Respect for their work as responsible citizens should be our priority.
The Author, Rohma Qaiser Satti is a student at the National Defence University, Islamabad, focusing on Middle Eastern studies to deepen understanding of regional conflicts and their origins.
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