Media across the Middle East continue to debate the bizarre disappearance of prominent Saudi Arabian journalist and critic of his government, Jamal Khashoggi, with opinions ranging from support for the Saudi government to rage over the region’s lack of a free press.
Mr. Khashoggi was last seen entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2. Rampant speculation since then says that he was murdered there, a charge Saudi Arabia vigorously denies.
The latest news saw Turkish officials on Friday announce that they were exploring the possibility that the missing journalist’s remains were dumped in a forest on the outskirts of Istanbul.
The top English-language paper from Saudi neighbor and ally, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), staunchly defended the kingdom in a lead editorial earlier this week: “Disinformation campaign against Saudi Arabia must stop.”
The Gulf News noted that “nations, media organizations, and individuals should exercise caution, and refrain from rushing to conclusions” and argued that the incident “has been used as a tool by media and political actors in the region and beyond to target Saudi Arabia”, especially by those “who have their own axes to grind.”
It added that that “calculated and misleading leaks to media” from unnamed “security officials” were “muddying the waters, and impacting the investigation.”
Qatar is another Saudi neighbor. However, unlike the UAE, Qatar is a sworn enemy of the kingdom and has been involved in an unprecedented diplomatic dispute with Saudi officials for more than a year.
On Thursday, an editorial in its main English-language paper, The Gulf Times, reflected upon Mr. Khashoggi’s final column, which was published this week by The Washington Post where he has recently been a contributor.
In the column, The Gulf Times noted, Mr. Khashoggi discussed the “importance of a free press in the Arab world” — and praised Qatar for its role promoting independent journalism.
The Gulf Times highlighted Mr. Khashoggi’s conclusion that the “freedoms felt by many during the Arab Spring of 2011” no longer exist — however “Qatar’s government continues to support international news coverage.”
That “international news coverage” general comes from the Al Jazeera TV station, which is headquartered in Qatar and supported by the Qatari government and is often seen as a thorn in the side of the Middle East’s more repressive regimes, including Saudi Arabia.
In the Jordan Times, Princeton university Journalism professor Daoud Kuttab, wrote on Thursday about the case within the context of free press across the greater Arab world.
Mr. Kuttab contended that Mr. Khashoggi’s disappearance was “related directly to his professional journalistic work and not to any political activism or rebellious efforts or even a particular ideological affiliation.”
He also argued that the journalist was a Saudi patriots who sought “gradual change” and “more accountable government, less reckless wars outside of the Kingdom and a respect for dissident voices.”
“An enlightening tsunami [responsible journalism] can do more to shake up autocratic rule than any political action or economic sanctions,” wrote Mr. Kuttab.
• Dan Boylan can be reached at dboylan@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.