The Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman has called the son of Jamal Khashoggi to express condolences on the death of the journalist, who was killed at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in disputed circumstances.
King Salman made a similar condolence call, the kingdom said early on Monday, as international pressure on the Saudis to provide an satisfactory account of what happened to Khashoggi continued to rise.
The Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has said details of the Washington Post journalist’s killing “will be revealed in all its nakedness” in parliament on Tuesday, the same day a glitzy investment forum in Riyadh spearheaded by the crown prince is to take place.
Saudi Arabia’s admission on Friday – after weeks of denials – that Khashoggi was killed in a “fistfight” and that 18 Saudis have been detained – has been met with widespread scepticism and allegations of a cover-up designed to absolve Prince Mohammed of direct responsibility. Turkish media reports and officials say a 15-member Saudi team flew to Istanbul, lay in wait for Khashoggi at the consulate and then killed and dismembered him.
A pro-government Turkish newspaper reported on Monday that a member of Prince Mohammed’s entourage made four calls to the royal’s office from the consulate on the day of Khoshaggi’s death. The report by Yeni Safak cited no source for the information. The newspaper said the calls went to the head of the crown prince’s office, as well as a number in the US.
Five Turkish employees at the Istanbul consulate are giving statements as part of the investigation into the death, the Turkish broadcaster NTV reported. Twenty consulate workers, including the consul’s driver, gave statements to prosecutors in relation to the incident, NTV has reported previously. Prosecutors are seeking statements from a total of 45 employees, CNN Turk said.
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