Saudis divided over Turkish dead journalist allegations

Some Saudis are treating Turkish allegations that journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed in their country’s consulate in Istanbul as fake news. 

Others see the alleged murder of Khashoggi, an outspoken critic of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, as a chilling message for opponents of the Saudi government and a sign that the crown prince’s much heralded reforms are unlikely to embrace real freedom of expression. 

For some Saudis, the alleged killing is a story cooked up by regional opponents to tarnish the kingdom’s reputation.

For others, though, it is a sign that Saudi Arabia may be headed in the wrong direction. 

Only a few Saudis interviewed were prepared to criticise the government openly. But several spoke on condition of anonymity.

“Everyone is spooked. It’s like there are flies on the walls listening to everything. I don’t believe freedom of expression falls at all into the reform plans, just the opposite,” said a Saudi citizen in Jeddah. 

A Saudi woman in her mid-thirties described the case as “like watching a movie”. “The government thinks they can get away with things like these, whether he was murdered or kidnapped. There is always this feeling that we need to have our guard up and watch what we are saying. We are not entirely safe.” Reuters