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Two weeks after the disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Riyadh admitted that the Washington Post columnist was killed in a «fistfight» inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October the 2nd.
After being pressured by Western governments, Saudi Arabia issued a communiqué on Sunday, 21st of October, giving further details about the killing of Khashoggi. According to the Guardian, Riyadh stated that the «initial plan was to capture» Khashoggi and make him return to his country.
Saudi Arabia blamed in its communiqué the killing of Khashoggi on a «rogue operation», without giving further details on his whereabouts.
The disappearance of the well-known journalist has made headlines around the world. Khashoggi entered the Saudi consulate in Turkey on the 2nd of October and never went out. And while, Istanbul is carrying a thorough investigation on the incident, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan promised to reveal in details, Tuesday, the findings of his country’s inquiry.
Pressured by Western governments
Meanwhile, many Western countries did not believe the version of the story made public by Saudi Arabia. Commenting on the Khashoggi killing, US President Donald Trump told the Washington Post that Riyadh is «lying about the journalist’s death».
On the other hand, France, the UK and Germany issued a joint statement denouncing Saudi Arabia’s alleged involvement in the incident, urging the country to provide more explanations on Khashoggi’s death. «There remains an urgent need for clarification of exactly what happened on 2 October – beyond the hypotheses that have been raised so far in the Saudi investigation, which need to be backed by facts to be considered credible», argued the three countries in their communiqué, quoted by the Guardian.
Commenting on the controversial death of the Saudi columnist, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in an interview broadcast on Sunday that his country could «cancel a $15bn defense contract with Riyadh over the killing», reports the same source.
Australia was also quick to react to Saudi Arabia’s involvement in the killing, announcing, Saturday, that it is boycotting the Saudi investment summit over Khashoggi death, reports Reuters.
Morocco's silence
However, while several Western countries rushed into question Riyadh about the mysterious disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi, Morocco has decided not to react to the case at all.
Rabat has not issued any communiqué regarding the Khashoggi case and has not commented yet on the statement made public by Saudi Arabia on Sunday.
But Morocco’s silence was met by the support voiced by several Arab countries to their all-time ally, Saudi Arabia. Egypt, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Palestine, and Oman issued communiqués through their press agencies backing Riyadh.
Morocco’s only reaction to the Khashoggi disappearance was limited to the link made by French newspaper «Le Monde» between the Washington Post columnist and a Saudi Prince extradited by Morocco in 2015.
In a statement issued Friday, 12th of October, the Ministry of Justice stressed that Morocco deported in 2015 a Saudi national to Riyadh.
The Ministry confirmed that Morocco arrested on the 11th of November Turki bin Bindar, after Saudi Arabia issued an arrest warrant against him.
Speaking to the Associated Press, Morocco's Minister of Justice Mohammed Aujjar stressed that the Kingdom's «supreme court issued the order for the extradition of Turki bin Bindar and that his arrest also followed strict judiciary procedures».
For the record, it is not the first time this year that Morocco prefers not to react to diplomatic issues linked to Riyadh.
At the heart of the Saudi Arabia-Canada dispute, witnessed in August, Morocco has remained silent at a time when many Arab countries, in North Africa and the Middle East, decided to side with Riyadh.
