By Ahmet Gurhan Kartal
LONDON (AA) – A group of friends of the slain journalist Jamal Khashoggi have called on the Saudi authorities to hand over his body and punish those who were behind the internationally condemned murder on Friday.
Gathered in front of the Saudi Arabia’s Embassy in London, the group made a press statement demanding the punishment of the “real murderers.”
Osama Rushdi, a personal friend of Khashoggi and a member of Turkish-Arab Media Organization, said they are protesting against the murder of the journalist and to ask the Saudi authorities about the whereabouts of his body.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Rushdi said many Muslims have been “shocked” with the killing of Khashoggi and many Muslims who would like to go to Saudi Arabia for Hajj or Umrah — pilgrim journeys to Muslim holy cities — are now fearing for their lives.
“Where is the body of Jamal Khashoggi? Who is responsible of this international crime?,” Rushdi asked.
“We will continue asking the Saudi authorities these questions and we will not leave them [alone] … until they answer the questions to [Turkish] President Recep Tayyip Erdogan,” Rushdi added.
“We want the person who ordered this murder,” Osama Gaweesh, a human rights activist said.
After days of denying any knowledge of his whereabouts, Saudi officials last week admitted that the journalist had been killed inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul.
– Calls for clarification
Amid the ongoing furor over Khashoggi’s death, Saudi King Salman has sacked the deputy head of the Saudi intelligence agency — and a top aide — while also ordering the arrest of 18 suspects in the case.
Meanwhile, world leaders continue to urge the Saudi authorities to clarify the circumstances of the journalist’s killing.
Gaweesh said the Saudi officials admitted the murder of Khashoggi only after a pressure from the Turkish president.
“We already know MBS [Mohammad bin Salman], the crown prince, is the person who ordered this crime,” he added.
“We are still waiting for Saudi government to tell the whole truth,” Yahya Assiri, another human rights activist said.
Assiri said he believed “MBS is behind the whole story.”
“It seems to be that people think that you can do things with impunity in these days but that has to be accountability, Kevin Moore, another protester, said.
The group dispersed after making a press statement on Jamal Khashoggi killing.
* Merve Akardere contributed to this story.
