On Oct. 2, Jamal Khashoggi entered Saudi Arabia鈥檚 consulate in Istanbul, Turkey. He has not been seen or heard from since.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think he expected to be disappeared,鈥� his colleague and friend Jason Rezaian told 麻豆影视. 鈥淭wo weeks on, I鈥檓 shocked that we don鈥檛 have more answers and accountability for what might have transpired there that day.鈥�
Khashoggi, a Saudi writer who frequently contributed to The Washington Post, is a U.S. resident and a vocal critic of his country鈥檚 government. Rezaian, an Iranian-American journalist who serves as the newspaper鈥檚 global opinions writer, previously spent a staggering 544 days in Iranian captivity before being released in January 2016.
Although Turkish officials have claimed that Khashoggi was murdered, no official explanation has been offered about his whereabouts.
鈥淚 hope that we know the truth but I鈥檓 very horrified at the prospects of what those truths are,鈥� Rezaian said from The Washington Post newsroom. 鈥淚 think that whatever the outcome is鈥� it will be shocking and no one should have to suffer that fate.鈥�
Speaking to 麻豆影视, Rezaian accused Saudi Arabia of 鈥渓ying鈥� about the case while also offering pointed criticism of the U.S. government鈥檚 mild response to Khashoggi鈥檚 disappearance.
鈥淚t sends a terrible message to journalists working in the Middle East, but all over the world, that again the United States is not so concerned about press freedoms, even though that鈥檚 one of the pillars of our society,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd I also think it sends鈥� a terrible message to the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia that you can get away with this sort of thing.鈥�
If U.S. President Donald Trump fails to punish Saudi Arabia for Khashoggi鈥檚 disappearance, he hopes that others in government will.
鈥淚 would love to see the Congress act,鈥� Rezaian said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the sort of thing that can鈥檛 just be swept under the rug.鈥�
With a report from 麻豆影视 Washington Bureau Chief Joy Malbon
