The murder of Jamal Khashoggi is only one of the consequences of a “widespread, systematic” policy in Saudi Arabia to crack down on critical voices in the country, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) representative, Erol Onderoglu, told N1.

Reporters Without Borders has submitted a criminal complaint against Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, to a German court regarding the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, as well as more than 30 journalists imprisoned in Saudi Arabia.

Onderoglu pointed out that there are already criminal proceedings ongoing in Istanbul regarding the case of Khashoggi because the murder had been perpetrated in that city, and that there is another case in the United States which was initiated by Khashoggi's fiance, Hatice Cengiz.

He explained that Reporters Without Borders has, for the first time, defined the nature of the violations committed in Saudi Arabia against journalists and intellectuals as “widespread and systematic violations” which are being executed and instructed by the regime in the country.

Eliminating the Khashoggi in the consulate was “only one step,” he said, arguing that, “for years and for decades, journalists are on purpose targeted in this group of well-defined policies to crackdown against critical voices in Saudi Arabia.”

He explained that the reason for choosing Germany for the criminal complaint is that this country is able to investigate and prosecute a crime that involves violations of international standards.

The full interview in English can be seen in the video above.