JOSH RANNEY
News Editor
It seems that these days, there is a hand around the throat of the free press. In a graphic series of events over the past couple weeks, this has been found to be all too real.
On Oct. 2, Washington Post columnist, Jamal Khashoggi, was killed during a physical altercation in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
Khashoggi was killed by a team of Saudi operatives from Riyadh.
Khashoggi, a Saudi citizen but American resident went to the consulate in Istanbul to receive documentation for his marriage to his fiance, Hatice Cengiz.
Cengiz waited outside for Khashoggi but called the police after he did not return for hours.
According to a Turkish newspaper, Khashoggi was killed and dismembered within two hours of entering the consulate.
The next day, on what would have been their wedding day, Cengiz returned to the consulate to ask for her fiance.
The same day, the crown prince said he would be open to an investigation, as did an official statement from the Saudi government.
In the days following, the Saudi officials fended of “completely baseless allegations” that the government was involved in Khashoggi’s disappearance.
Saudi ambassador to the United States, Prince Khalid bin Salman told a reporter that the government had absolutely nothing to do with the disappearance, but did not comment as to whether there was evidence that Khashoggi ever left the consulate.
In the U.S., senators called on the Trump administration to investigate the situation under the Magnitsky Act of 2016, which allows administrations to respond to the Foreign Relations Committee when there is suspicion of human rights abuses.
“We’re getting closer than you might think,” said President Donald Trump. “But I have to find out what happened.”
A few days later, during a 60 Minutes interview, Trump said there would be “severe punishment” if Saudi Arabia was involved.
Turkish officials said the consulate had been totally repainted in the days since, and suspected it could have been in an effort to cover up “toxic materials.”
In response to the growing animosity toward Saudi Arabia, Trump dialed back his apparent pursuit for justice.
“Here we go again with you’re guilty until you’re proven innocent,” said Trump, referring to the Kavanaugh investigation into sexual assault allegations.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo went to Saudi Arabia to discuss the situation with Turkish and Saudi officials, later saying that the U.S. needed to allow them to finish their investigation.
At the same time, Trump said of the likelihood that Khashoggi was dead, “It certainly looks that way to me.”
Finally, on Oct. 19, Saudi officials confirmed that Khashoggi was killed in a physical altercation inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey.
The Saudi attorney general reported the arrests of 18 Saudi nationals, although they were not identified.
The announcement sent shockwaves around the world of foreign relations.
The United Kingdom’s Foreign Office said it is considering it’s next steps.
“We send our condolences to Jamal Khashoggi’s family after this confirmation of his death,” said a spokeswoman. “As the Foreign Secretary has said, this was a terrible act and those responsible must be held to account.”
British Opposition Leader called on the Prime Minister and Parliament to suspend arms trading with Saudi Arabia.
The United States, Australia, France, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands pulled out of the upcoming “Davos in the desert,” where future Saudi investment opportunities are to be on full display.
“Australia deplores the killing of prominent Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi,” said Marise Payne, Australia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs.
While Trump said there would be harsh punishment for the culprits, he would not commit to any specific punishments like the U.K. is proposing.
“I don’t want to hurt jobs, I don’t want to lose an order like that,” said Trump of the U.S.-Saudi arms deal. “There are other ways of punishing, to use a word that’s a pretty harsh word, but it’s true.”
Payne, the Australian Foreign Minister said Khashoggi’s contribution and representation of the free press should not be forgotten or overlooked.
Khashoggi was a “strong voice of freedom of expression,” Payne said.