Turkey still hasn't received actionable information on the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, its foreign minster Mevlut Cavusoglu told CNBC Sunday.
"So far we haven't been provided any information from the ongoing investigation in Saudi Arabia. Their chief prosecutor got everything from us, he didn't share anything with us. We want a transparent, credible, swift investigation on Saudi side as well," Cavusoglu told the network's Hadley Gamble at the annual Doha Forum in Qatar. The minister has previously vowed to get to the bottom of the case and hold those responsible to account.
Turkey has put unprecedented political pressure on Riyadh since the October 2 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, where local authorities say a 15-member Saudi hit squad strangled and dismembered the journalist known for his criticism of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Turkish president Recep Erdogan announced that the hit job was orchestrated at the "highest levels" of the Saudi government, implying involvement of the powerful crown prince but stopping short of naming him or his father, King Salman.
The Saudis deny any involvement by the crown prince, maintaining that the death was the result of a premeditated rendition plan gone awry after having offered multiple contradictory explanations.
Among the many questions remaining unanswered is that of the whereabouts of Khashoggi's remains.
"We don't know where the body is," the minister said. "This is the main question -- we need to find out. They said they had local collaborators; they haven't provided the names of collaborators."
Riyadh and Ankara have launched their own investigations, which have resulted in Saudi Arabia charging 11 people and announcing the death penalty for five, but have not released their names. The U.S. in November placed sanctions on 17 Saudi officials, and U.S. lawmakers have pushed a bipartisan resolution condemning the crown prince as guilty.
U.S. President Donald Trump in November made clear his commitment to supporting the Saudi Crown Prince, essentially absolving him of involvement despite reported conclusions from the CIA that bin Salman directed the killing.
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