Top Saudi journalist missing after visiting consulate in Istanbul
Ankara, Oct 3: A prominent Saudi journalist known as one of the country's most outspoken critic has gone missing after visiting its consulate in Turkey, raising concerns about his safety.
Jamal Khashoggi, a contributor to the Washington Post, entered the Saudi Arabia's consulate in Istanbul on Tuesday afternoon for a visit relating to filing a divorce before he can remarry, the Guardian reported on Wednesday.
"We don't know if he is being detained, questioned or when he will be released," the Post said.
His Turkish fiancee, who waited outside for him for 12 hours, said he had failed to come out and then she called the police.
She was accompanying him to the consulate but said she was not allowed to go inside with him. Khashoggi was also required to surrender his mobile phone.
Another close friend also said the 59-year-old journalist had not left the consulate, a claim disputed by a Saudi official. It was not known if Khashoggi was able to leave the mission or he was being held against his will or was taken elsewhere, reports say.
Qatar-based news outlet Al-Jazeera reported that Turkish police began a search for the missing writer.
Khashoggi has been living in self-imposed exile in the US and is an established critic of the Saudi government -- particularly the reform plans championed by Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman.
"With every supposed reform comes a wave of fresh arrests, prison sentences and increasingly repressive behaviour," said Jason Rezaian, a commentator for the Post.
"At each turning point, though, Jamal has offered readers of the Post insightful commentary and sharp criticism about the seemingly impenetrable country."
The BBC said that Khashoggi served as an adviser to the Saudi royal family and was for many years seen as an insider, until he left more than a year ago amid a reported clampdown on press freedom.
With over 1.6 million followers on Twitter, Khashoggi is a prolific commentator in print and on television. He was famous for interviewing Osama bin Laden several times and also served as a media aide under Prince Turki al-Faisal, when the latter was Director General of the Saudi intelligence agency.
A US state department spokesperson said they had seen the reports from Istanbul and were "seeking more information at this time".
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Primary accused in 96.6 pc POCSO cases were close acquaintances: NCRB
New Delhi (PTI): In 96.6 per cent of 44,126 cases of sexual abuse of minors, close acquaintances have emerged as the primary offenders, according to the latest data released by the NCRB.
In its report 'Crime in India 2024' released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), 44,126 total cases have been registered under the Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act under Sections 4 and 6 which pertain to penetrative sexual assault on minors during the year across the country.
The figures present a grim picture as close acquaintances emerged as primary accused in 42,634 (around 96.6 per cent) of the 44,126 total cases falling in that category, according to the latest NCRB data.
The data shows that family members were involved in 3,658 cases, while family friends, neighbours, employers or other known persons were named in 16,668 cases.
The largest share came from friends, online friends or live-in partners acting on the pretext of marriage, with 22,308 cases.
Cases where the offender was unknown or not identified stood at mere 1,492, or 3.4 per cent of the total.
Among states, Tamil Nadu reported the highest number of POCSO cases at 5,320, followed by Maharashtra at 4,829 and Madhya Pradesh at 3,721. Uttar Pradesh was next with 3,671 cases.
In Union territories, Delhi accounted for the highest number of cases at 1,038, followed by Jammu and Kashmir at 228 and Puducherry at 82. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands reported 77 cases.
The data also shows that Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Tripura and several Union territories, including Chandigarh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Lakshadweep, Ladakh and Puducherry, reported 100 per cent of cases involving known offenders.
