Khashoggi's fiancee given police protection in Turkey
ISTANBUL
The fiancee of Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi has been given 24-hour police protection, according to Turkey's state-run news agency.
Anadolu Agency reported that the decision was made by the Istanbul governor’s office Oct. 21, citing an anonymous security official.
Hatice Cengiz, a Turkish national, waited for Khashoggi outside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2, where he was to get papers for their planned marriage. She alerted authorities after the writer did not emerge from the building.
Saudi officials on Oct. 20 confirmed that he died, after denying knowledge of his circumstances for over two weeks.
The report did not say why Cengiz was given police protection.
Meanwhile, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she backs a freeze on arms exports to Saudi Arabia following the killing of writer Jamal Khashoggi.
Merkel told reporters in Berlin on Oct. 21 that "I agree with all those who say that the already limited arms exports... can’t take place in the situation we’re currently in."
Germany’s Foreign Minister Heiko Maas had called Oct. 20 for a halt to German arms exports while the investigation into Khashoggi’s death continues.
Merkel reiterated her condemnation of the killing at Saudi’s consulate in Istanbul, and her earlier call for the kingdom to provide further clarification on the incident and hold those responsible to account.
She said Germany would discuss further "reactions" to the case with its international partners.
Britain, Germany and France issued a joint statement on Oct. 21 condemning the killing of writer Jamal Khashoggi, saying there is an "urgent need for clarification of exactly what happened."
The statement said attacks on journalists are unacceptable and "of utmost concern to our three nations." They said the "hypotheses" proposed so far in the Saudi investigation need to be backed by facts to be considered credible.
They stressed that more efforts are needed in order to establish the truth, and added that they reserve judgment until they receive further explanation.
Saudi authorities have said Khashoggi died in an "altercation" with Saudi officials at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2. Turkish officials suspect a team of Saudi agents was sent to assassinate him.