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Saudi Consulate in Istanbul to Be Searched After Journalist Disappears - Ankara

On Friday, Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced that he was ready to grant Turkish authorities permission to search for the missing journalist Jamal Khashoggi within the diplomatic facility.
Sputnik

According to the Turkish Foreign Ministry, Riyadh has given official permission to search its Consulate General in Istanbul in order to investigate the disappearance of Khashoggi.

Addressing the case, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged Saudi Arabia to provide evidence that the journalist had exited the diplomatic facility, adding that he was personally overseeing the investigation.

"Although in accordance with the Vienna Convention consular premises enjoy immunity, upon receiving the consent of the head of the diplomatic mission the authorities of a country, where this diplomatic mission is located, can carry out investigation there," Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy's statement, obtained by Sputnik, read.

According to the official, Riyadh stated it was open for cooperation, and an investigation can be carried out in the building of the consulate general,

READ MORE: Pompeo Urges Saudi Govt to Support a Thorough Probe Into Khashoggi Disappearance

Turkey Launches Probe Into Disappearance of Saudi Journalist - Reports
Over the weekend, Ankara claimed that Khashoggi, who was working as an opinion columnist for The Washington Post, might have been killed inside the consulate building. Saudi Arabia has denied the allegations, stressing that the journalist has neither been killed nor abducted by Saudi authorities.

Khashoggi, who left Saudi Arabia last year out of fear of arrest, went to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to pick up documents necessary for his upcoming marriage. According to the missing journalist’s fiancée, 11 hours after entering the building, Saudi guards told her that he had already left.

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