UNHCHR calls for international experts to join Khashoggi murder probe

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet on Tuesday called for international experts to participate in the investigation into the murder of slain journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

"For an investigation to be carried out free of any appearance of political considerations, the involvement of international experts, with full access to evidence and witnesses, would be highly desirable," Al Jazeera quoted a statement from Bachelet.

The former President of Chile further urged the Gulf country to reveal the location of Khashoggi's body, citing autopsy and forensic evaluations of the body as crucial for the ongoing investigation in the "shockingly brazen crime."

Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan appealed to the chief prosecutor of Saudi Arabia to identify the person who authorised Khasshggi's murder in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Erdogan further urged him to not exempt "certain people" in his probe.

"Who sent these 15 people? As Saudi public prosecutor, you have to ask that question, so you can reveal it," Erdogan said, adding, "Now we have to solve this case. No need to prevaricate, it makes no sense to try to protect certain people."

A former Washington Post journalist, Khashoggi went missing on October 2, after stepping into Saudi Arabia's consulate in Istanbul, Turkey to collect documents that would allow him to get married to Hatice Cengiz.

Cengiz, who was waiting outside the consulate for Khashoggi, raised an alarm after he failed to re-emerge from the Saudi consulate.

The Saudi authorities later confirmed that Khashoggi died inside the consular premises during a clash. However, Turkey claimed that the journalist was brutally tortured and killed inside Saudi consulate.