Daily Times

Some days after being reported missing, Jamal Khashoggi was confirmed dead. He was tortured and murdered whilst visiting the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Controversy sounds his horrific death, which is allegedly an attempt by the Saudi government to curtail political dissonance. Once the star child of the Saudi government, after his fall from grace — a year ago — Khashoggi exiled himself to Washington.

The Washington Post published Khashoggi’s last article after the announcement of his death. Ironically, it was an article detailing the brute of authoritarianism that is on a global rise. Using the Middle Eastern context, he outlined the dangers of speaking against domestic powers. According to Khashoggi; “The Arab world is facing its own version of an Iron Curtain, imposed not by external actors but through domestic forces vying for power”. This is not difficult to imagine, as citizens face similar regimes. However, even Khashoggi underestimated the lengths to which, such dictatorial powers would go to silence the truth. According to his Turkish fiancé, Hatice Cengiz, “he did not mind walking into the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul because he did not believe that something bad could happen on Turkish soil”. Furthermore he noted that, “that no such thing had ever happened in Turkey’s history.”

As unimaginable as it would seem at that time, it proved to be true. This falls under the category of other unimaginable measures that Saudi Arabia has taken to violate basic human rights. Under the guise of national security, Mohammad bin Salman has imprisoned many journalists, academics, clerics and human rights activists. Moreover, he has taken unprecedented measures against international criticism. Not long ago, Saudi Arabia severed ties with Canada, after the Canadian government condemned the arrest of human and gender rights activists in the kingdom.

Amidst the hue and cry of the international community, the US has defended its ally. So much so that President Trump has sought to attribute the death to “rogue killers”. It seems that the greatest champions of the free world, are adamant on giving their Arab counterparts a bailout — yet again.

It is high time, that entrenched powers across nations, constantly claiming ‘national security’ to silence opposition are upended. It is no coincidence, that missing persons, media-censorship, shadow administrations, state sanctioned killings, are occurring as a global phenomenon. These are precarious times. Despite the global endorsement of “democracy”, its ideals remain a mere façade.  *

Published in Daily Times, October 19^th 2018.