9 Dec 2021

French authorities free man held over Khashoggi killing

From Morning Report, 6:47 am on 9 December 2021

French authorities have freed a Saudi national held over suspected links to the horrific killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Saudi officials had earlier said the detention of the man at Paris's Charles de Gaulle airport yesterday, was a case of mistaken identity.

Khashoggi, a Washington Post journalist and critic of Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler - Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was last seen entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on 2 October, 2018.

Turkish officials believe his body was dismembered and removed. His remains have not been found.

Since then, rights groups have advocated for strong measures against those deemed to be behind the killing.

Western intelligence agencies accused the Crown Prince of authorising the killing as calls for accountability continue.

Committee to Project Journalist's Middle East and North Africa programme coordinator Sherif Mansour spoke to Corin Dann.