Istanbul, Oct 11, 2018 (AFP)
Veteran Saudi Arabian journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who has been critical of the government, went missing on October 2 after visiting the kingdom's consulate in Istanbul.
Turkish officials believe he was murdered inside the consulate. Riyadh vehemently denies the claim, saying he left the compound on his own.
As pressure mounts on Riyadh, here is a timeline of what happened:
- Enters Saudi consulate -
At 1:14 pm (1014 GMT) on October 2, Khashoggi, a US resident, is recorded entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul by a surveillance camera picture published by the Washington Post.
He was there to receive an official document for his upcoming marriage. His fiancee, Hatice Cengiz, accompanies him but waits outside.
- Alarm raised -
On October 3 the Washington Post, for whom Khashoggi writes opinion pieces, raises the alarm, saying Khashoggi has not been seen since he entered the consulate.
"We have been unable to reach Jamal today and are very concerned about where he may be," the Post's international opinions editor Eli Lopez says in a statement.
His fiancee camps out near barricades outside the Saudi consulate hoping for news.
Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin tells a news conference: "According to information we have this individual... is still at the consulate as of now".
The US State Department says it is investigating.
- Saudi denial -
On October 4, after an initial period of silence, Saudi Arabia says Khashoggi had disappeared "after he left the consulate building".
The Saudi ambassador is summoned to the Turkish foreign ministry.
On October 5 Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman tells Bloomberg that Khashoggi is not inside the consulate and "we are ready to welcome the Turkish government to go and search our premises," which is Saudi sovereign territory.
Supporters rally outside the consulate holding up images of the journalist with the words "Free Jamal Khashoggi".
- Murdered in consulate? -
On October 6 a government source says Turkish police believe Khashoggi, 59, was murdered inside the consulate.
"Based on their initial findings, the police believe that the journalist was killed by a team especially sent to Istanbul and who left the same day," the source tells AFP.
Riyadh calls the claim as "baseless".
- Erdogan waits -
On October 7 Turkey seeks permission to search Saudi Arabia's consulate.
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, commenting for the first time, says he will wait for the outcome of the investigation before taking a decision.
- Pressure on Riyadh -
On October 8 Erdogan asks Riyadh to "prove" its claim that Khashoggi left its consulate.
US President Donald Trump says he is "concerned". US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo calls for a "thorough" and "transparent" probe by Washington's ally Saudi Arabia into the disappearance.
- Search granted -
On October 9 Saudi Arabia agrees to let Turkish authorities search the consulate, the Turkish foreign ministry says.
Local media report on the possibility that Khashoggi was kidnapped and taken to Saudi Arabia.
English-language state broadcaster TRT World says Turkish officials believe the Saudis may have taken the consulate's CCTV footage with them when they returned.
- Kidnapping ? -
CCTV footage released by Turkish TV shows a van entering the consulate on October 2, before going to the nearby consul's residence.
The Washington Post, citing US intelligence intercepts, says Saudi Arabia's crown prince ordered an operation to trap Khashoggi.
The State Department says it had not been tipped off about the operation.
Trump calls for explanations from Saudi Arabia, saying he has talked "more than once" and "at the highest levels" to partners in Riyadh. He says he has been in contact with Khashoggi's fiancee, who has asked for his help.
- Erdogan demands footage -
On October 11 Erdogan presses Saudi Arabia to release images that prove Riyadh's claim missing journalist Jamal Khashoggi left the consulate alive. The Saudis say their cameras were not working that day.
The search of the consulate has not yet taken place.

Sumber : AFP