02 Oct 2021; MEMO: The International Press Institute (IPI) said on Friday that justice has not been achieved for late Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, three years after his murder.
On its website, the IPI announced that 2 October, 2021, marks three years since Khashoggi's murder, describing it as a: "Heinous act for which justice is still denied."
It added: "The IPI global network strongly condemns the continued impunity in the case and calls on the international community to hold Saudi Arabia accountable for the murder."
As reported by the website, IPI Deputy Director Scott Griffen stated:
"It has now been three years since the abhorrent killing of Jamal Khashoggi at the behest of Saudi Arabia."
He added: "There's a lot of talk, and a lot of promises, from the international community about ending impunity for crimes against journalists. And yet here we have the Saudi regime – a long-time ally of Western countries – which has suffered no meaningful consequences for the brazen elimination of a critical journalist."
Griffen continued: "The IPI global network strongly condemns the continued impunity in this case and we continue to demand full accountability for this atrocious act."
In February of this year, US intelligence officials published a previously classified report stating that Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman most likely approved the operation to "capture or kill" Khashoggi.
Under international pressure, the Saudi authorities investigated a total of 31 individuals over the killing and arrested 21 in late September 2019. After a secret trial later that year, 11 people – whose names were never published – were charged in the murder by Riyadh Criminal Court.
United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur Agnes Callamard, who authored an inquiry into Khashoggi's death, described the Saudi trial as "a mockery of justice".
Meanwhile, in Turkey, 26 fugitive Saudi nationals have been tried in absentia for the murder since July 2020.
Despite the trial's largely symbolic nature, Khashoggi's fiancé, friends and the UN special rapporteur have called it an "important formalised step" in the search for justice. The next hearing will take place on 23 November, 2021.
