Spain 'concerned' on case of missing Saudi journalist

By Muhammet Ikbal Arslan

ANKARA

Spain on Wednesday expressed its "concern" about the case of missing Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Khashoggi, a columnist for the Washington Post newspaper, has long been feared killed at the Istanbul Consulate after he entered on Oct. 2 and was never seen exiting.

In a written statement, the Spanish Embassy in Ankara said the country shares the international concerns over the disappearance of the Saudi journalist.

"The Spanish government is hoping that the investigation, with the cooperation of the Turkish and Saudi authorities, will be concluded with urgency," it said.

The statement also said that Spain, as its core values, stands for freedom of press and expression as well as the need for the protection of journalists

On Monday, Turkish and Saudi officials searched the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul after the start of a joint probe into the missing journalist.

Saudi authorities have yet to give a clear explanation of what happened to Khashoggi, while several countries -- particularly Turkey, the U.S., and the U.K. -- are pressing for the mystery to be cleared up as soon as possible.