Jamal Khashoggi Murder and Accountability
Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist and Washington Post columnist, was murdered on October 2, 2018, inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey. His death drew widespread international condemnation and led to calls for accountability at the highest levels of the Saudi government.
October 2, 2018: Khashoggi entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to obtain documents for his upcoming marriage. He was killed inside the consulate, and his body was dismembered. Initial Saudi denials gave way to shifting explanations, eventually acknowledging the murder was premeditated.
November 2018: The CIA concluded with "medium to high confidence" that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) ordered the assassination. The U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) later assessed that MBS approved the operation, citing his control over Saudi Arabia's security and intelligence apparatus.
December 23, 2019: A Saudi court sentenced five individuals to death and three others to prison for their roles in the murder. However, the trial was widely criticized as a "whitewash," with many believing that the real masterminds, including MBS, were not held accountable.
February 26, 2021: A declassified U.S. intelligence report concluded that MBS approved the operation to kill or capture Khashoggi, reinforcing earlier assessments.
October 2, 2025: On the seventh anniversary of Khashoggi's murder, advocacy groups like DAWN reiterated calls for accountability, emphasizing that impunity for such acts encourages further repression.
October 2, 2018: Khashoggi entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to obtain documents for his upcoming marriage. He was killed inside the consulate, and his body was dismembered. Initial Saudi denials gave way to shifting explanations, eventually acknowledging the murder was premeditated.
November 2018: The CIA concluded with "medium to high confidence" that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) ordered the assassination. The U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) later assessed that MBS approved the operation, citing his control over Saudi Arabia's security and intelligence apparatus.
December 23, 2019: A Saudi court sentenced five individuals to death and three others to prison for their roles in the murder. However, the trial was widely criticized as a "whitewash," with many believing that the real masterminds, including MBS, were not held accountable.
February 26, 2021: A declassified U.S. intelligence report concluded that MBS approved the operation to kill or capture Khashoggi, reinforcing earlier assessments.
October 2, 2025: On the seventh anniversary of Khashoggi's murder, advocacy groups like DAWN reiterated calls for accountability, emphasizing that impunity for such acts encourages further repression.
02 Oct, 2018
Sources
CBS News
Mohammad bin Salman denies ordering Khashoggi murder, but says he takes responsibility for it
Time
U.N. Report Finds 'Credible Evidence' to Investigate Saudi Crown Prince's Role in Jamal Khashoggi’s Killing