An independent U.N. human rights expert says authorities in Saudi Arabia quietly held a second court hearing for 11 people facing charges over the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Agnes Callamard, the U.N. special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, says she learned of the hearing during her first visit to Turkey last week to investigate the murder.

Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist who wrote critically about Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was killed inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2. His remains have not been found.

Callamard told The Associated Press that the second hearing took place on Jan. 31.

She criticized the fact that that there is "insufficient public attention placed on the proceedings" and that the media are not present at the hearings.