The International Press Institute (IPI) has renewed its demand for an independent criminal investigation into the 2018 murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, eight years after his death.
The press freedom organisation is also calling for the strengthening of international mechanisms to investigate crimes committed against journalists. This demand comes as human rights groups continue to question the level of accountability achieved in high-profile attacks on members of the media.
The IPI’s latest position was articulated during the eight-year commemoration of the Jamal Khashoggi murder, highlighting the persistent lack of closure for the journalist’s family and the global press community.
Accountability and global press safety
Jamal Khashoggi was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, in October 2018. At the time, Khashoggi was a prominent columnist for the Washington Post and a vocal critic of the Saudi government. His death triggered a massive diplomatic crisis and led to several international investigations.
A 2019 report by then-United Nations special rapporteur Agnes Callamard found “credible evidence” of state responsibility for the killing. While Saudi authorities eventually convicted several individuals in a domestic trial, many international observers and press freedom advocates argue that the investigation failed to address the involvement of high-ranking officials.
The IPI maintains that the Khashoggi case serves as a warning for the vulnerability of journalists operating under scrutiny. The organisation is pushing for a more robust international legal framework that can investigate crimes where state actors are suspected of involvement, bypassing the limitations of domestic judicial processes.
The call for justice follows a period of increasing tension between international human rights bodies and various governments over the protection of media workers. The IPI argues that without a truly independent and transparent probe into the Khashoggi case, the deterrent against targeting journalists remains insufficient.
The organisation is currently engaging with international legal bodies to advocate for better protection protocols for journalists in high-risk environments. Saudi officials have previously denied any involvement by senior leadership in the killing, maintaining that it was a rogue operation.
The United Nations and Saudi authorities have yet to provide a formal response to this latest demand from the IPI.
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