Speech by Mrs. Tawakkol Karman at Jamal Khashoggi’s memorial service in Istanbul
Jamal Khashoggi entered the consulate of his country where he was killed and cut off, and then his body was decomposed in a horrific criminal act - committed by his country’s various state agencies which has unlimited decision-making authority.
Those who had not involved in the crime at the beginning joined in the subsequent stages.
As known to all, the crime started when he was reassured to go to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to get some official documents allowing him to complete marriage procedures to his fiancée Khadija.
Khalid bin Salman, the Saudi ambassador to Washington, and other senior officials gave Mr. Khashoggi the promise not to be betrayed, and that he would not get hurt in Istanbul. From that moment on, however, preparations took place to liquidate him inside the consulate. Indeed, he was killed and cut into pieces. In parallel, Saudi officials insisted on their denial and that they have no knowledge of the fate of Khashoggi. Then again, orders were issued to kill the dismembered body, using acid and chemicals. Saudis gradually confessed to committing the crime.
It can be said that all organs of sovereignty in Saudi Arabia involved in a crime that bears all the hallmarks of "ISIL", which puts the Saudi state in a moral and then legal dilemma; how can a state turn into a terrorist organization!!
For me, it makes sense not to exclude anyone in Saudi Arabia, neither Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Interior or Intelligence agencies nor even the highest decision-making levels. Every high-ranked official in these organs participated in the crime at some point. So, it does not seem fair to sacrifice low-ranked or senior officials, while a blind eye is turned to those who gave orders.
What the killers do not realize is that human community is deeply shocked by the transformation of a Saudi-size country into a rogue organization. Hence, Saudi Arabia must reveal all the truth. The perpetrators, regardless of their positions and titles, should be held accountable for consequences not only for Jamal Khashoggi but for Saudi Arabia itself.
The reason for the international outcry over this crime is in part due to the fear that Khashoggi's murder with extreme atrocity will legitimize state terrorism and its crimes against citizens because of their different opinions, and this should not be allowed to happen.
We believe that despite all this unprecedented global and human solidarity and disapproval, the murderers will keep committing crimes that are more terrible and make himself feel that nothing deserves attention as long as they could manage to escape punishment.
What Saudi Arabia has done poses a significant challenge because it will serve as a model for getting rid of journalists, political activists and human rights defenders. The world is full of tyrants who are ready to do the same and crush their opponents in no less horrific way than what happened to our friend Jamal Khashoggi.
States does not fall into such delinquency, no matter how brutal and primitive they are. It is savage barbaric behavior that can not be practiced by a state system, no matter what its degree of backwardness, ugliness and brutality.
Putting an end to such madness driven by the desire for absolute power begins with the revelation of the truth, the whole truth. We want to know where the body is, what exactly happened to it, and what the details of its disposal, ranging from the killing to the dismemberment and dissolution of the corpse.
All those seeking justice are expected to demand that those involved in Khashoggi's murder be tried outside Saudi Arabia,as the Saudi judiciary is not qualified to assume this task because it lacks independence. In order not to influence or obstruct the course the course of justice, the trial of killers should be in Turkey or in The Hague.
Jamal Khashoggi must get his full right from his killers. I could almost hear the soul of Jamal Khashoggi screaming at all of us, saying I want justice. I want the murderers to be punished for their ugly brutality. I want justice so that no more crimes will be committed against ordinary people who are only guilty of having different opinions. I want justice for all of you, for all of you.