UN chief: Instruments at hand to probe Khashoggi murder

By Umar Farooq</p> <p>WASHINGTON (AA) – UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said Friday the Human Rights Council has the capacity to probe the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.</p> <p>&quot;The Human Rights Council has the possibility to take decisions in relation to launching different forms of interaction,&quot; Guterres said at a press conference at the UN headquarters in New York. &quot;There are many instruments Human Rights Council can use, requested by member states, and I am not in a position to encourage member states. I'm saying these instruments are available.&quot;</p> <p>UN Human Rights Chief Michele Bachelet said last month that the killing of Khashoggi deserves an international investigation, however, the UN does not have the jurisdiction to launch one.</p> <p>Khashoggi, a contributor to The Washington Post, went missing after entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2.</p> <p>After producing various contradictory explanations, Riyadh acknowledged he was killed inside the consulate building, blaming the act on a botched rendition operation.</p> <p>While an investigation and trial was held in Saudi Arabia, the UN said it found the probe insufficient.</p> <p>In response to a question by Anadolu Agency, the UN chief said he himself also did not have power to launch an investigation into the journalist's murder.</p> <p>&quot;I don't have the right to launch any investigation, there is a huge confusion about what the Secretary General can and can't do,&quot; Guterres said.</p> <p>&quot;I do not have the right to launch a criminal investigation myself and no formal criminal investigation was requested to me by any member state,&quot; he added.</p> <p> *Betul Yuruk contributed to the story from New York