Hatice Cengiz with Jamal Khashoggi
The fiancée of missing Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi has publicly stated that there is no proof he left the Saudi consulate in Istanbul he entered on Oct. 2.
"This much is true: He entered the consulate, and there’s no proof that he came out," wrote Cengiz in The Washington Post, the paper Khashoggi wrote for before he went missing.
Cengiz pleaded for help from the U.S. president and first lady to clear up the circumstances of his disappearance.
"At this time, I implore President Trump and first lady Melania Trump to help shed light on Jamal’s disappearance. I also urge Saudi Arabia, especially King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, to show the same level of sensitivity and release CCTV footage from the consulate," she added.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday he has yet to speak to Saudi officials about the case of a Saudi journalist who went missing in Turkey last week.Trump said he would raise the case "at some point" with Riyadh, but did not specify when the talks would take place.Saudi Arabia on Tuesday invited Turkish experts and officials to visit its Istanbul Consulate to look into last week’s disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi.According to diplomatic sources, a diplomatic note was sent to the Turkish Foreign Ministry inviting Turkish officials to visit the consulate, where Khashoggi was last seen entering a week ago.Saudi journalist's disappearance bears marks of Saudi, Egypt, UAEKhashoggi, a columnist for the Washington Post newspaper, has been missing since he entered the consulate Oct. 2.Turkish police investigating the case said Saturday that 15 Saudis, including several officials, arrived in Istanbul on two planes and entered the consulate while Khashoggi was inside.The consulate said it was working in coordination with Turkish authorities.Cameras show no footage of Khashoggi leaving Saudi consulate, say Turkish security forcesTurkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has called for Saudi officials to prove their contention that Khashoggi left the consulate as most accounts say he was last seen entering the building.The State Department later Tuesday called on the Saudi government "to conduct a thorough and transparent investigation.”“The United States is certainly concerned about his whereabouts, senior officials at the State Department have spoken to Saudi officials through diplomatic channels about the matter,” State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert told reporters. Britain asks Saudis to explain what happened to missing journalistSaudi Arabia invites Turkey to visit its Istanbul consulate
Trump yet to speak to Saudis about missing journalist
Telling how she and Khashoggi were planning a wedding and that he went to the consulate specifically to arrange for this, Cengiz said she did not suspect any harm could be done to him at a diplomatic mission as this would be "a violation of international law to harm, arrest or detain people."
After waiting for him for three hours outside the consulate building, and hearing nothing, Cengiz stressed she "was overcome with fear and concern."
"I texted a few friends to inform them, and I asked about Jamal at the consular building. I received an answer that further fueled my fears: Jamal had already left, they told me, possibly without my noticing," she wrote.
The flight path of two Gulfstream IV planes from Saudi Arabia has raised suspicions following the disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was last seen at his consulate in Istanbul.Turkish police investigating the case said in a statement Saturday that 15 Saudis, including several officials, arrived in Istanbul on two planes and entered the consulate while Khashoggi was inside.The Saudi officials that arrived in Istanbul allegedly stayed in two different five-star hotels close to the consulate.The HZSK-1 plane touched down in Istanbul the day Khashoggi entered the Saudi consulate but instead of returning to Saudi Arabia, the aircraft first visited Egypt’s capital, Cairo.Cameras show no footage of Khashoggi leaving Saudi consulate, say Turkish security forcesSecurity sources claim that alive or dead, Khashoggi was brought to the airport in vehicles with diplomatic immunity by personnel whose bags and suitcases were not searched because they too had diplomatic immunity.The HZSK-2 private jet left Istanbul at midnight the day Khashoggi went missing and visited the UAE’s Dubai before flying to Saudi Arabia.Both aircrafts flew to Riyadh on the final leg of their journey."The burden of proof is on Saudi Arabia to produce evidence for its claim that Khashoggi left the consulate alone, and that Saudi agents have not detained him," said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director of Human Rights Watch.Britain asks Saudis to explain what happened to missing journalistSaudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt have worked together previously, as they tried to sever Qatar’s ties with the rest of the world by imposing boycotts, however Turkey had ruined their ploy. Qatar has remained at odds with Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates since June 5 of last year, when they accused Doha of supporting terrorism -- allegations Doha denies -- and collectively severed ties with the country.Khashoggi, journalist and columnist for The Washington Post who has lived in self-imposed exile in Washington for the past year fearing retribution for his criticism of Saudi policies, has been missing since he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2.Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has also expressed concern, saying on Monday that Saudi officials must prove whether or not Khashoggi exited the building after entering, as they claim.Saudi Arabia invites Turkey to visit its Istanbul consulateClaims emerge that footage of Jamal Khashoggi’s murder exists
Saudi journalist's disappearance bears marks of Saudi, Egypt, UAE
She praised the efforts of Turkish authorities, saying: "I’ve witnessed the work of the Turkish authorities as they monitor the situation closely. I am confident in the abilities of Turkish government officials."
According to Turkish police, while Khashoggi was inside, 15 Saudis, including several officials, arrived in Istanbul on two planes and entered the consulate.
Istanbul prosecutors are investigating the incident, while the consulate said on Twitter that it was working in coordination with Turkish authorities.
Turkey on Monday conveyed its expectation of "full cooperation" from Saudi Arabia in the search for the missing journalist.
Saudi Arabia on Tuesday invited Turkish experts and relevant officials to visit the consulate, according to diplomatic sources.
Turkish security forces on Tuesday said that there are two surveillance cameras that have a clear view of Saudi Arabia’s Istanbul consulate.“On the recordings, there was no footage that Khashoggi had exited the consulate,” according to Turkish broadcaster NTV.Khashoggi, journalist and columnist for The Washington Post who has lived in self-imposed exile in Washington for the past year fearing retribution for his criticism of Saudi policies, has been missing since he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2.Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has expressed concern, saying on Monday that Saudi officials must prove whether or not Khashoggi exited the building after entering, as they claim.Britain asks Saudis to explain what happened to missing journalistSaudi Arabia invites Turkey to visit its Istanbul consulateSaudi consulate in Istanbul will be searched: Turkish foreign ministryClaims emerge that footage of Jamal Khashoggi’s murder exists
Cameras show no footage of Khashoggi leaving Saudi consulate, say Turkish security forces
Britain's foreign minister Jeremy Hunt called on Saudi Arabia to explain what happened to the journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who has been missing since he visited the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last week.The disappearance of Khashoggi, previously a prominent newspaper editor in Saudi Arabia and an adviser to its former head of intelligence, has sparked global concern."Just met the Saudi ambassador to seek urgent answers over Jamal Khashoggi," Hunt said on Twitter on Tuesday."Violence against journalists worldwide is going up and is a grave threat to freedom of expression. If media reports prove correct, we will treat the incident seriously - friendships depend on shared values."Saudi Arabia invites Turkey to visit its Istanbul consulateSaudi Arabia arrests ‘independent minds’: Missing journoClaims emerge that footage of Jamal Khashoggi’s murder existsPossible last moments of missing Saudi journalist revealed Pompeo calls on Saudi govt to investigate Khashoggi disappearance
Britain asks Saudis to explain what happened to missing journalist