EP receives appeal from Khashoggi's fiancee

By Fatih Hafız Mehmet

ANKARA

The European Parliament (EP) has received an appeal from murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi's fiancee Hatice Cengiz, the head of the body said on Tuesday.

“The European Parliament has received an appeal from Jamal Khashoggi's fiancee [Hatice Cengiz],” Antonio Tajani said in a Twitter post.

"We call for an independent and rigorous investigation to bring to justice not only the perpetrators of the murder but also those who ordered it," Tajani added.

Khashoggi, a columnist for The Washington Post, had gone missing after entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2.

After denying knowledge of Khashoggi's whereabouts for over two weeks, Saudi Arabia on Saturday said he was killed during a fight inside its Istanbul consulate.

His body has not been recovered, nor has Saudi Arabia explained its shifting narrative on what transpired.

Speaking during his ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party's group meeting at parliament on Tuesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Khashoggi's murder was premeditated, adding that his country had strong evidence showing that it was planned.