(Disclaimer: this is a work of fiction. Learn to take a joke; you’ll live longer.)
Responding harshly to its critics, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has denied ever denying the death of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in their consulate in Istanbul.
Reports have been surfacing over the past two weeks that the Wall Street Journal columnist had been killed in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul while trying to get some official documents. Saudi authorities had been denying anything of the sort since the day he went missing, until official Saudi television quoted an inquiry as having confirmed that Khashoggi had been killed in an ‘altercation’ that took place in the Consulate.
“Authorities are being meticulous about this investigation given the sensitivity of the matter. But after two weeks, our investigators can confirm that Mr Khashoggi did indeed die in our consulate in Istanbul” read the state media report.
“All accusations that Saudi Arabia at any point denied knowledge of what happened to Mr Khashoggi are all false” it went on to say.
“We were simply . . . making sure” it read.
Meanwhile, during a press conference, a spokesperson of the consulate also denied allegations that Saudi Arabia ever denied Jamal Khashoggi’s death.
“I don’t see why anyone would say that. Show me one proof of us ever denying anything of the sort” he said.
“Two weeks is an appropriate amount of time to confirm something like this. We can show you how we go about in great depth if you want” said the representative when one journalist tried to show the spokesperson previous statements made by the Saudi Government denying any knowledge of what happened to Mr Khashoggi.