ANKARA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 17th October, 2018) The Turkish authorities could not prevent Saudi Consul General in Istanbul Mohammad Otaibi from leaving the country despite the situation around the disappearance of Saudi opposition journalist Jamal Khashoggi, as otherwise it would be a breach of his diplomatic immunity, Omer Celik, the spokesman for Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party, said on Tuesday.
Earlier in the day, the consul departed for his home country. The news comes after Turkish media reported that the Turkish police had found evidence during their authorized search of the Saudi Consulate premises showing that Khashoggi was murdered there.
"Diplomats have immunity, they are protected under the Vienna convention, and it was impossible to prevent him from leaving. Turkey is a rule of law state. We requested an inspection of the consulate general, we were not given permission immediately, later we received it. We are watching the investigation with the utmost attention," Celik told reporters.
According to Celik, Ankara has no intention to "put the brakes" on the Khashoggi case.
He also noted that it would be better to abstain from commenting on emerging assumptions related to the case until the investigation was completed, pledging that its results would be made public.
Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist, went missing on October 2. He was last seen entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul where he went to receive papers he needed to remarry.
Turkey has expressed concerns that Khashoggi could have been murdered inside the building, while the Saudi government has denied involvement in the case, claiming that the journalist disappeared after he left the consulate.
