What Happened to Jamal Khashoggi?

Jamal Khashoggi was a distinguished Saudi journalist, author, and editor, known for his critical commentary on Saudi Arabian policies and its leadership, particularly Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS). After a period of self-imposed exile, he became a columnist for The Washington Post, where his articles often challenged the kingdom's direction.

On October 2, 2018, Khashoggi entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, to obtain documents necessary for his upcoming marriage to his Turkish fiancée, Hatice Cengiz. He was never seen leaving the building. Turkish authorities quickly launched an investigation, and within weeks, disturbing details emerged, suggesting Khashoggi had been brutally murdered and dismembered inside the consulate by a team of Saudi agents. His body has never been recovered.

Initially, Saudi Arabia offered shifting and contradictory explanations for Khashoggi's disappearance, first claiming he had left the consulate, then stating he died in a 'fist-fight,' before finally admitting his death was premeditated. These narratives were met with widespread international skepticism and condemnation. In November 2018, the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) concluded that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had ordered Khashoggi's assassination. A June 2019 report by UN Special Rapporteur Agnès Callamard further found 'credible evidence' warranting an investigation into MBS's role, concluding that Khashoggi was the victim of a 'premeditated extrajudicial execution' for which the Saudi state was responsible.

Saudi Arabia conducted its own closed-door trials, which were widely criticized by human rights organizations as lacking transparency and credibility. In December 2019, a Saudi court sentenced five individuals to death and three others to prison terms. However, in May 2020, Khashoggi's son, Salah Khashoggi, announced that he pardoned his father's killers, which, under Saudi law, meant the death sentences were overturned and the convicted individuals would serve prison terms. The U.S. government, under the Trump administration, imposed sanctions on 17 Saudis but did not sanction MBS directly and later granted him immunity in a civil lawsuit filed in the U.S.

The murder had a profound impact on press freedom globally, highlighting the risks faced by journalists critical of authoritarian regimes. Khashoggi's fiancée, Hatice Cengiz, has continued to tirelessly campaign for justice, becoming a prominent voice in international forums.

In a significant development in May 2026, a French judge opened a criminal investigation into Khashoggi's murder, specifically targeting Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, following complaints filed by human rights organizations like Trial International and Reporters Without Borders. The Paris Court of Appeal deemed the complaints admissible, particularly on charges of torture and enforced disappearance, and stated that the possibility of classifying the acts as crimes against humanity could not be ruled out. This represents a new legal front in the pursuit of accountability. Concurrently, Turkey, which had initially been a strong advocate for justice, transferred its own trial of 26 Saudi suspects to Saudi Arabia in 2022 as part of a broader rapprochement. This shift culminated in a joint defense agreement signed in August 2026 between Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan, marking a strategic partnership and a significant change in regional relations, despite the unresolved questions surrounding Khashoggi's killing.