Response to Saudi journalist’s death must be based on verified information, Kremlin

Any reaction to the incident with Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi must be based on verified information, Russian president’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday.

"One needs to have verified information about the incident with the journalists to react to it," he said, adding that Moscow had taken notice of Riyadh’s statement on its royal family’s non-involvement in the incident.

"So, it is a matter of investigation and only official and verified information matters," he stressed.

Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, known for his criticism of Saudi Arabia's current policy, left his home country and moved to the United States in 2017. The journalist wrote articles for The Washington Post, analyzing the situation in Saudi Arabia and the country's foreign policy, and criticizing Riyadh.

The journalist arrived to the consulate general of Saudi Arabia in Istanbul on October 2 to complete routine paperwork needed to marry a Turkish national and has not been in contact since then. Several media reported that the journalist was killed in the diplomatic mission's building. Turkey’s police launched an investigation into his disappearance several days after.

On October 20, Saudi Arabia's Public Prosecutor Saud Al-Moajab declared the death of the journalist. He noted that Khashoggi died after a conflict that sparked in the consulate.