Turkish main opposition leader pays condolence visit to Washington Post over Khashoggi killing

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Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu on Oct. 12 paid a condolence visit to Washington Post over the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

“I paid a visit to The Washington Post to express our condolences for the assasination of Jamal Khashoggi who was a valuable columnist for their newspaper. The Khashoggi assassination was committed at the Saudi Arabian Consulate in Istanbul. With this terrible assassination, not only freedom of thought, but also humanity suffered great wounds. Transferring the murder case of Khashoggi to Saudi Arabia is a great insult to Turkey's sovereignty. This outrageous murder was committed in our lands.

Both Turkey and the US failed in respecting democracy against the petro-dollar order. We reject a system where petro-dollar princes commit murder. We will establish human rights and freedoms in Turkey to the full, and we will have a respectable justice system. In front of the memory of Jamal Khashoggi, I promise this once again,” Kılıçdaroğlu said in tweets.

Kılıçdaroğlu has been in the United States since Oct. 9 under the program of "CHP's Second Century Vision."

Khashoggi was reported missing after he entered the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2, 2018. 

Turkish authorities and investigators had said Khashoggi was interrogated inside the consulate before his body was dismembered. It is believed that his body was likely burned in a large oven at the Saudi consul general's residence. 

First denying the allegations of murdering Khashoggi, the Saudi government later admitted to the killing. It said the murder was carried out by agents in a "rogue operation."

Lastly, a Turkish court ruled to halt the trial of Saudi suspects over the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and transfer it to Saudi Arabia, a decision that comes as Ankara sought to mend ties with Riyadh.