A group of protesters rallied in central London on Thursday, demanding justice for the murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was killed in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul a year ago.
The protesters shouted slogans against the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), who is widely accused of giving orders for the murder that took place in the Saudi diplomatic mission on Oct. 2, 2018.
"Down down [Mohammed] bin Salman," and "Justice for Jamal Khashoggi," they shouted, while gathered in front of the National Gallery near Trafalgar Square.
Also carrying banners, some of which read the word "killer" on the prince's photograph, the group also used a blood-stained blimp of MBS.
Jamal Khashoggi, a Washington Post contributor hailing from a prominent Saudi family, walked into the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2, 2018 to collect documents to marry his fiancee Hatice Cengiz, who was waiting for him outside. Yet, her waiting quickly turned frantic as he didn't come out again. Agents of the Saudi government killed Khashoggi inside the consulate and apparently dismembered his body, which has never been found.
The U.N. rapporteur for extrajudicial executions Agnes Callamard said in a previous report that the state of Saudi Arabia was responsible for the murder. The report also found "credible evidence" that linked Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) to the killing of Khashoggi. The rapporteur noted she had received no cooperation from Riyadh and minimal help from the U.S.
TRT World Forum to host session on Khashoggi murder
The murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi will be discussed on the second day of the TRT World Forum in Istanbul on Oct. 22.
A special session will be dedicated to the issue which will address Khashoggi's murder at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul and its connection with changing geopolitical balances in the Middle East.
Iyad Al-Baghdadi, president of the Norway-based Kawaakibi Foundation, Ghad al-Thawrah, party leader and former Egyptian presidential candidate Ayman Nour, ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Chairman Adviser Yasin Aktay, David Hearst, chairman of the London-based Middle East Eye website, Tawakkol Karman, president of the rights group Women Journalists Without Chains who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2011, and Yahya İbrahim, a Saudi human rights activist and founder and director of the human rights organization ALQST, will seek answers about the murder at the session.
Journalists, academics and politicians will gather for the TRT World Forum 2019 which carries the theme "Globalization in Retreat: Risks and Opportunities" and will be opened by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
The forum will be held over two days with more than 30 sessions to discuss issues that occupy the world agenda such as right-wing terrorism, the rise of populism and nationalism, the future of the Middle East, trade wars, the future of the European Union and the cooperation of emerging powers.
Other participants include U.N. General Assembly President Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces, former Brazilian President Dilma Vana Rousseff, Malaysian People's Justice Party leader Anwar Ibrahim, Yanis Varoufakis, the main opposition leader in Greece, Romanian Minister for European Affairs George Ciamba, former Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern, former Finnish Prime Minister Esko Aho and former Syrian Prime Minister Riyad Farid Hijab.
