Seven years ago today, we lost a remarkable leader, journalist, husband, father, and grandfather: Jamal Khashoggi. As his widow, my grief has only deepened due to the uncertainty surrounding the events leading up to his tragic murder.
The key to understanding what truly happened lies in Jamal’s personal devices: two phones, a laptop, and a tablet. I believe these devices could uncover crucial, previously undisclosed information about his death—information that is vital for achieving justice. The Turkish government currently holds these devices.
I’ve learned a lot about myself through the work of the Civic Research Institute. My device was hacked by NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware, known for its “zero-click” feature that allows for remote surveillance without the user being aware.
Investigations revealed not just Pegasus spying on me, but also another spyware, Cellebrite, that infiltrated my device and accessed all my communications with Jamal. This occurred back in 2018, before his murder, following a 17-hour traumatic interrogation by the UAE’s Intelligence Agency.
It was heartbreaking for both Jamal and me to find out my device had been compromised. We often discussed our future plans—travel, personal matters, and more. Who could have been listening to us? Was this how they knew so much about Jamal’s plans? I suspect that Jamal’s phones were also compromised, likely by the Saudi government.
In 2019, Turkish authorities announced they were keeping Jamal’s phones, tablets, and computers during their investigation, stating that the analysis of those devices was still ongoing. At the trial in Turkey, officials hoped to extract critical evidence from them. Unfortunately, that trial was abruptly halted and transferred to Saudi Arabia—leaving many questions unanswered.
I directly asked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan about my husband’s devices. During the Biden administration, I also reached out to Avril Haines, the U.S. Director of National Intelligence, for assistance in safeguarding these devices. However, both efforts have diminished over time.
This November, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is scheduled to meet with President Trump in Washington, D.C. Some may think Jamal’s murder is now a closed case, but many issues are still unresolved after seven years. It’s essential to determine whether Jamal’s device was affected by NSO spyware and if that spyware was later transmitted to his devices. As his wife, I deserve to know the full truth.
Hanan El Khashoggi is the widow of Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist and Washington Post columnist who was murdered at the Saudi Arabian Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey on October 2, 2018.
