Jeff Bezos joins Khashoggi friends, activists in Turkey

The memorial of slain US-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi near Saudi Arabia's Consulate in Istanbul began just after 1:14 pm (1014 GMT) on Wednesday, the time that Khashoggi walked into the consulate on October 2, 2018, to collect documents to marry his Turkish fiancee, who was waiting for him outside.

Istanbul: Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos joined activists and friends of slain US-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi near Saudi Arabia's Consulate in Istanbul on Wednesday on the first-year anniversary of his horrific death at the hands of Saudi agents.

The memorial began just after 1:14 pm (1014 GMT) on Wednesday, the time that Khashoggi walked into the consulate on October 2, 2018, to collect documents to marry his Turkish fiancee, who was waiting for him outside. He never emerged.

During the ceremony, human rights and media freedoms activists called for a comprehensive United Nations investigation into the murder and action to ensure that the perpetrators of the killing don't go unpunished.

Jeff Bezos, who is also the founder of Amazon, praised Khashoggi's fiancee, Hatice Cengiz, who paced a street outside the Saudi consulate for hours waiting for him to re-emerge.

"No one should ever have to endure what you did," Bezos said.

"You need to know that you are in our hearts. We are here and you are not alone."

Cengiz was wiping away tears as Bezos spoke.

Cengiz said she wanted to know what happened to the murdered journalist's body and demanded the release of Khashoggi's friends who are still detained.

"Now, after the worst year of my life, I stand here, broken but proud. Proud to see you all here and with you all, I will seek justice," said Cengiz.

Several questions linger a year since his killing, including the whereabouts of his body and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's possible culpability.

Saudi Arabia said that it is trying 11 people for the killing, but few details about the case have been released.

Prince Mohammed meanwhile, said in an interview this week that he takes full responsibility for the killing but denied he ordered it.