US activists, lawmakers to mark 100 days since Khashoggi murder

Members of the US Congress will hold a bipartisan event on Thursday to mark the passing of 100 days since the brutal murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul.

The press freedom event at the US Capitol building was announced earlier this week in a statement by Democratic Congressman Adam Schiff.

"The event will provide an opportunity for Members [of Congress] to show their support for international press freedom and to stand against attacks on journalists and the free press," the statement said.

"We will be joined by Jamal’s friends and colleagues from the Washington Post and other
media organisations, as well as press freedom advocates," it added.

Schiff has been a vocal critic of US President Donald Trump's support for Riyadh amid the Khashoggi murder scandal.

In a case that shocked the world and created a sharp rift with Washington, Khashoggi was murdered and his corpse dismembered inside the kingdom's Istanbul mission on October 2.

After evidence emerged that the killing was done by a team of Saudis sent from Riyadh and closely linked to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Washington demanded a transparent investigation.

But at the same time Prince Mohammed, whose close aides were allegedly involved in the murder, was all but let off the hook by the Trump administration despite US intelligence reportedly having evidence that he was behind it.

A bipartisan resolution approved by the US Senate last month also held the crown prince responsible for the killing.