Saudi Arabia's, Turkey's Probes Into Khashoggi's Death Flawed - UN Special Rapporteur

Saudi Arabia's and Turkey's investigations into the death of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi both "failed to meet international standards," the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Agnes Callamard

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th June, 2019) Saudi Arabia's and Turkey's investigations into the death of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi both "failed to meet international standards," the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Agnes Callamard, said in a report on the case issued Wednesday.

"The Special Rapporteur has found that both the investigations conducted by Saudi Arabia and Turkey failed to meet international standards regarding the investigation into unlawful deaths," the report read.

According to the rapporteur, there is "credible evidence pointing to the crime scenes having been thoroughly, even forensically, cleaned."

"These indicate that the Saudi investigation was not conducted in good faith, and that it may amount to obstructing justice," the report said.

Saudi Arabia placed certain restrictions on the Turkish probe that, according to the rapporteur, "cannot be justified by the need to protect Consular operations."

"Turkey's fear over an escalation of the situation and retribution meant that the consular residences or consular cars were also not searched without permission even though they are not protected by the VCCR," the rapporteur said.

She expressed regret that "it appears no international body or other State came forward with an offer to "mediate" between the two parties to negotiate prompt and effective access to the crime scene."