The Saudi government has finally acknowledged that the killing of Post contributing columnist Jamal Khashoggi in its consulate in Istanbul was premeditated. But the regime’s earlier obfuscations suggest that a truly independent assessment of what happened in this appalling murder, and who was responsible, is unlikely. A rigorous, professional and impartial investigation is needed.
The firm that I lead has conducted an independent investigation in the Middle East; we know what a successful probe in that region looks like. In 2014, we began a 10-month investigation that confirmed allegations of abusive labor practices involving the thousands of migrant workers building New York University’s Abu Dhabi campus in the United Arab Emirates. Several steps are essential for an investigation into Khashoggi’s murder that will produce a report with legitimacy in the world’s eyes.
