In memory of the slain journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who tragically lost his life in 2018 due to the Saudi Arabian government, Councilwoman Traci Park organized a street dedication ceremony as a tribute to him.
Joined by elected officials, loved ones, and friends of Khashoggi, Park unveiled signage dedicating Wilshire Boulevard from Centinela Avenue to McClellan Drive, which runs alongside the Consulate of Saudi Arabia in Los Angeles located at 12400 Wilshire Blvd., as “Jamal Khashoggi Way.”
Furthermore, smaller commemorative signs were presented to Khashoggi’s fiancée, Hatice Cengiz, and the human rights organization he founded, Democracy for the Arab World Now.
Speaking at the ceremony, Park solemnly acknowledged that the day also marked the fifth anniversary of Jamal’s murder. “As we commemorate this somber anniversary and dedicate this square to him, we must acknowledge that justice has not yet been fully served,” she expressed.
Park emphasized, “It is our collective responsibility to continue seeking truth and accountability.”
“He will forever remain an inspiration to journalists, activists, and democracy advocates for generations to come,” Park concluded.
In April, the L.A. City Council approved the street dedication, but the ceremony was purposely held on October 2nd, the anniversary of Khashoggi’s tragic death. Councilwoman Park took the initiative in leading the process for the street dedication.
Khashoggi, known as a Saudi journalist, a U.S. resident, and a dissident against the Saudi Arabian government, was ruthlessly murdered within the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, in 2018.
While the Saudi government denies any involvement by the royal family in Khashoggi’s murder, U.S. intelligence has released information confirming that Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman of Saudi Arabia directly authorized the operation to lure Khashoggi to the consulate and assassinate him, as stated in Park’s motion.
The Saudi government labeled Khashoggi’s murder as a “rogue” operation carried out by its operatives without knowledge from the government. Bin Salman also denied any personal association, according to reports.
Khashoggi was a prominent Saudi journalist who had to flee his home country in 2017 when Bin Salman assumed power. Under Bin Salman’s rule, a crackdown on women’s rights and pro-democracy activists, intellectuals, and journalists who opposed Saudi government policies was initiated.
After leaving his home country, Khashoggi became a columnist for the Washington Post and established Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN).
In 2022, the Washington, D.C., City Council renamed the street where the Saudi embassy is situated as “Jamal Khashoggi Way” to create an enduring “memorial in his honor that cannot be suppressed,” according to the motion.
Park’s street dedication in tribute to Khashoggi aimed to achieve the same purpose.
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