Al Jazeera Media Network held a solidarity stand for prominent Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi yesterday, according to a statement.
Journalists and staff members from different channels and divisions of the network took part in the stand, demanding to know the fate of Khashoggi, and condemning attacks on journalists all around the world.
In his statement, Giles Trendle, managing director of Al Jazeera English, expressed his concerns by stating that the international community and fellow journalists all over the world are demanding to know the fate of Khashoggi, whether he is alive, murdered, or if he was simply forcefully detained and deprived of his most basic human rights.
Trendle added: “We stand here today to reaffirm journalism is not a crime. We reassert our demand for the release of Al Jazeera journalist Mahmoud Hussein – detained in Egypt, without trial, for 657 days. We stand in solidarity with the two Reuters reporters imprisoned in Myanmar. We stand in solidarity with all journalists – harassed, detained, imprisoned or killed – just for doing their jobs.”
Ahmed Alyafei, managing director of Al Jazeera Channel, said: “During his three-decades-long career, Jamal Khashoggi set an example as a free and brave journalist. He appeared on Al Jazeera’s channels numerous times, and his in-depth analysis and contributions truly stood out.”
Alyafei further stated: “We say to those responsible for Khashoggi’s disappearance, and the detention of our colleague Mahmood Hussien and all other journalists around the world, you did not harm Jamal or Mahmood alone, but you have harmed every journalist who lives by Jamal’s essence and courage. Jamal’s sacrifice will not go in vain.”
Al Jazeera reaffirms its commitment to defending journalists and press freedom across the world and reiterates that journalism is not a crime, the statement added.
Khashoggi has not been seen after he entered the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, to get documents for his forthcoming marriage. Turkish officials have said they believed he had been killed at the Saudi consulate.
AFP reported that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday asked Saudi officials to prove their claim that missing journalist and Riyadh critic Jamal Khashoggi left the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
Erdogan’s comments’ came after media reports said his government sought permission from Saudi authorities to search the consulate premises in Istanbul.




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