Jamal Khashoggi

Jamal Khashoggi – Life, Work, and Legacy

Jamal Khashoggi (1958–2018): Saudi journalist, dissenting voice, and author whose assassination sparked global outrage. Explore his life, writings, political transformation, and enduring impact on press freedom.

Introduction

Jamal Ahmad Hamza Khashoggi (13 October 1958 – 2 October 2018) was a Saudi journalist, author, columnist, and dissident whose life and death became emblematic of the struggle for transparency, freedom of expression, and human rights in the authoritarian age.

In his later years, he emerged as a prominent critic of Saudi policies, especially those under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. His assassination inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018 sent shockwaves around the world, raising urgent questions about state power, sovereignty, and accountability.

This article traces Khashoggi’s journey—from his roots in Saudi Arabia to his evolving political views, his work as a journalist and author, the circumstances of his killing, and the enduring lessons of his legacy.

Early Life & Family

Jamal Khashoggi was born in Medina, Saudi Arabia on 13 October 1958. Khashoggi, comes from Turkish origins (meaning “spoon maker”) and his family had ties spanning the Arabian Peninsula and beyond.

He was the nephew of the well-known Saudi entrepreneur Adnan Khashoggi and had relations to prominent figures in business and royal circles. Ahmad Khashoggi and his mother Esaaf Daftar.

Growing up in Saudi Arabia, Khashoggi received his early schooling there before eventually moving to the United States for higher education.

Education & Early Career

Khashoggi attended schools in Saudi Arabia before earning a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) from Indiana State University in 1982.

After graduating, he began working in the publishing and media sector. One of his first positions was as the regional manager for Tihama Bookstores (1983–1984). Saudi Gazette, Okaz, Asharq Al-Awsat, Al Majalla, among others.

He also spent periods working as a foreign correspondent in various countries such as Afghanistan, Algeria, Kuwait, and Sudan.

In 1991, he became managing editor and later acting editor-in-chief of Al Madina, a Saudi daily. Arab News.

Evolution of Thought & Political Views

Khashoggi’s worldview evolved significantly over time. His early alignment with Islamist ideas in his youth shifted gradually toward a reformist, moderate, and liberal outlook.

He came to advocate for:

• Freedom of expression and the press

• Political reform and democratization in the Arab world

• A more balanced relationship between Islam and modern governance, including a critique of such rigid interpretations as Wahhabism

• Women’s rights and easing social restrictions in Saudi Arabia

• Diplomatic approaches in foreign policy rather than militaristic interventions (e.g. his criticism of Saudi intervention in Yemen)

In his columns for The Washington Post, he became a frequent critic of the Saudi government, particularly under the rising influence of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS).

He supported certain reforms promoted by the Saudi leadership—such as allowing women to drive—but strongly condemned the crackdown on dissent and harsh measures taken against activists.

Major Works & Contributions

While much of Khashoggi’s legacy lies in his journalistic output, opinion columns, and editorial leadership, he also authored and co-authored works and founded or supported media ventures.

Some key contributions include:

• His numerous op-ed columns for The Washington Post during his exile, where he addressed Middle Eastern politics, reform, and human rights.

• His leadership roles in Saudi media such as Al Watan (editor) — though his tenure there was contentious and he was dismissed at least twice due to political pressure.

• Founding or backing the Al-Arab News Channel, though it was short-lived due to political constraints.

• Co-launching Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN), a political organization promoting democratic reform in the Arab world.

His voice as a public intellectual in exile gave visibility to suppressed debates about governance, human rights, and the future of the Arab world.

The Assassination & Aftermath

The Incident

On 2 October 2018, Khashoggi entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, ostensibly to obtain official documents to finalize his planned marriage. He never emerged.

Turkish and Saudi officials later inspected the site; Turkish investigators asserted that Khashoggi was murdered inside the consulate, dismembered, and that the act was orchestrated by Saudi operatives.

The Saudi government initially denied the killing, later changed its story (claiming a fistfight), and then admitted that the killing was premeditated.

U.S. intelligence, including the CIA, later concluded that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bore responsibility for ordering the killing.

In December 2018, Time magazine named Khashoggi a Person of the Year (posthumously) as one of “The Guardians and the War on Truth”.

Legal, Political & Diplomatic Fallout

Saudi Arabia tried and convicted individuals in connection with Khashoggi’s murder—including sentencing several to death (later pardoned by Khashoggi’s children) and issuing prison terms to others.

Critics and human rights groups widely condemned the Saudi legal proceedings as lacking transparency and accountability.

The case strained Saudi Arabia’s relations with multiple countries, provoked calls for sanctions, and fueled global debates about impunity, freedom of the press, and state power.

In many capitals, proposals were made to rename streets or public spaces after Khashoggi as a memorial. For example, Washington, D.C. renamed the stretch of road in front of the Saudi embassy to “Jamal Khashoggi Way”.

Personality, Challenges & Contradictions

Khashoggi was widely regarded as courageous, articulate, and principled. He combined insider knowledge of Saudi politics with a willingness to critique it openly.

Yet his life also entailed complexity:

• He had periods of alignment with Saudi establishment and was once a media adviser and a royal insider.

• His past associations (e.g. his interactions in Afghanistan, or reporting on Islamist causes) became fodder for critics seeking to discredit him.

• He operated under constant threat, championing freedoms in an environment where speaking out could and did carry lethal risk.

His personal life also had complexities. He had been married multiple times, with four children (Salah, Abdullah, Noha, and Razan) from his marriage to Rawia al-Tunisi.

At the time of his death, he had a Turkish fiancée, Hatice Cengiz, and was planning marriage formalities.

Famous Writings & Quotable Lines

Although not known primarily for pithy quotes, Khashoggi produced many powerful, incisive lines in his journalism and speeches. Some notable ideas / excerpts:

• On freedom of expression: “What the Arab world needs most is free expression.” (posthumous column)

• Criticizing excesses of power: in various columns he warned that suppression of dissent would backfire in the long run.

• On Saudi reform, he wrote that Saudis must balance Islam and modern governance rather than rigid ideological absolutism.

Because his work appeared in journals, newspapers, and broadcasts, many of his “lines” are embedded in longer essays rather than isolated quote collections.

Lessons from His Life

1. Courage at cost
   Khashoggi’s example underlines the price that dissenters may pay under authoritarian systems.

2. Power of the pen in exile
   Even in exile, he used journalism as a tool to influence global discourse and draw attention to issues that were suppressed at home.

3. Complexity of reform
   His own evolution—from part insider to critical dissident—demonstrates how the path of reform is rarely linear or purely oppositional.

4. Demand for accountability
   His murder pressurised international mechanisms, diplomatic norms, and public awareness to confront state abuse and impunity.

5. Legacy beyond death
   His life and tragic death continue to amplify advocacy for press freedom, human rights, and institutional constraints on power.

Conclusion

Jamal Khashoggi’s life was a testament to the power and peril of speaking truth to power. He moved from Saudi media elite to a dissident voice whose pen—and ultimately his courage—became both his tool and his target.

Though he no longer lives, Khashoggi’s mission endures: to spotlight injustice, challenge silences, and remind the world that freedom of expression is not a luxury, but a necessity. His story compels us to ask: in contexts where speech is dangerous, who will bear witness?