- Jamal Khashoggi's son, Salah Khashoggi, has been permitted to depart Saudi Arabia and is heading to the US with the rest of his family, NBC News reported Thursday.
- Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist, was killed in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2.
- Previous reports suggested Salah, who is a dual US citizen, was barred from leaving the country in connection with his father's critical reporting on the Saudi kingdom.
Jamal Khashoggi's son, Salah Khashoggi, has been permitted to leave Saudi Arabia and is heading to the US with the rest of his family, NBC News reported Thursday.
This comes after reports Salah, who is a dual US citizen, was barred from leaving the country in connection with his father's critical reporting on the Saudi kingdom.
Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist, was killed in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2.
The Saudis denied any involvement in Khashoggi's disappearance for nearly three weeks, and their story has shifted multiple times since early October.
Last week, the Saudi government finally acknowledged Khashoggi died, but claimed it was a result of a fistfight that was part of a rogue operation. The Saudis on Thursday changed the narrative once more, stating Khashoggi's killing was likely premeditated.
After the Saudi government acknowledged Khashoggi's killing, Salah and his brother Sahel met with King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The Saudis released official photos of the meeting, in which Salah appeared extremely uncomfortable.
Amid the investigation into Khashoggi's death, which the crown prince is suspected of orchestrating, there have been calls for the Saudi government to permit his family to be reunited to grieve.
Khashoggi left Saudi Arabia last year after the royal family barred him from writing due to critical remarks he made about President Donald Trump.
He was also concerned about Prince Mohammed's efforts to consolidate power, which involved arresting his fellow princes and prominent businessmen, including friends of Khashoggi.
Khashoggi was one of the most well-known journalists in Saudi Arabia and previously served as a royal adviser, but he had a following out with the government as Prince Mohammed gained more power.
After leaving Saudi Arabia, Khashoggi began to write for The Washington Post, where he continued to be critical of the Saudi government. He told his editor at The Post, Karen Attiah, that his family was punished as a consequence of his writing, which included bans on travel.
Attiah has been particularly vocal about Khashoggi's killing, and has put pressure on Saudi Arabia to allow his family to be reunited.
Khashoggi "told me when we first met that his ex-wife was pressured into eventually divorcing him because of his critical writings," Attiah tweeted earlier this week. "The Saudis punished him in life by restricting the travel of his children, 3 of whom are dual U.S. citizens."
Khashoggi had four children and his family was reportedly spread out across Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates. In a statement released earlier this month, his family said, "We are sadly and anxiously following the conflicting news regarding the fate of our father ... Our family is traumatized, and yearns to be together during this painful time."
There needs to be pressure on the Saudis to let Salah (a dual U.S. citizen) leave and be reunited with his family during this tough time.
He was placed on a travel ban due to his father's writing. #Khashoggi. https://t.co/X5QdNbOjkz
- Karen Attiah (@KarenAttiah) October 23, 2018