(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - Today, Congressman Jamie Raskin (D-MD) joined Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-VA) and Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) in sending a bipartisan, bicameral letter urging President Trump to raise Jamal Khashoggi’s disappearance with the governments of Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Khashoggi, a Virginia resident and distinguished journalist, has been missing since October 2nd when he was last seen entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. According to some reports, Mr. Khashoggi may have been murdered.
“These conflicting reports and rampant speculation that he was murdered demand immediate answers from both Saudi Arabia and Turkey. We urge you to extend support from all appropriate U.S. federal agencies, such as the FBI, to these governments to conduct a thorough and transparent investigation of Mr. Khashoggi’s case,” the Members wrote.
“We sincerely hope that Mr. Khashoggi emerges unharmed and is free to return safely to the United States, especially given the growing and deeply troubling trend of targeting journalists and oppositionists, not only in Saudi Arabia and Turkey, but around the world,” the Members added. “The U.S. must speak out loudly wherever and whenever this occurs.”
Connolly and Kaine were joined on the letter by Senator Mark R. Warner, and Representatives Beyer, Castro, Chabot, Cicilline, Delbene, Deutch, Dingell, Engel, Espaillat, Hastings, Lieu, McCaul, Meadows, Meeks, Price, Raskin, Schneider, Sherman, Sires, and Suozzi.
The full letter is available here.