UN advisor to listen to Khashoggi murder recordings

An advisor to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says a United Nations human rights expert will listen to the audio recordings of the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi as part of an investigation.

Special Rapporteur Agnes Callamard and her team of experts met Tuesday with advisor Yasin Aktay, a friend of Khashoggi's. He told reporters the team would have access to the audio, according to Turkish media.

The team on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary killings will leave on Sunday. It has met with Turkey's foreign and justice ministers and the prosecutor leading the case.

Where is Khashoggi's body?

Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist who wrote critically about the Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, was killed inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on 2 October, likely at the orders of the young but powerful royal.

The CIA believe Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered an operation to kill Khashoggi and say his body was dismembered and removed to a location still publicly unknown.

His remains have not been found.

Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch, said on Monday that Callamard is investigating what evidence there is pointing to Prince Mohammed's responsibility. 

He also called for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to share its intercepted recordings of the crime, according to Reuters.

Riyadh denies that the prince had any involvement. Instead it claims the killing a "rogue" operation by Saudi operatives, but few believed the excuse and tipped the kingdom into one of its worst diplomatic crises in recent times.

The UN Human Rights Office said that the trial taking place in Saudi Arabia into the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi was "not sufficient".

Agencies contributed to this report.