Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi went missing last week while visiting the Saudi Arabian consulate in the Turkish city of Istanbul.

Key points: Turkey claims journalist was dismembered in a Saudi consulate

Turkey claims journalist was dismembered in a Saudi consulate Diplomats are protected from potential criminal charges

Diplomats are protected from potential criminal charges Items can be smuggled out of the country in diplomatic bags

Khashoggi, an Al Watan and Washington Post journalist known for his strong critiques of authorities in Saudi Arabia and ruling Prince Mohammed bin Salman, had fled his home country last year to live in self-imposed exile in the United States.

Turkish officials say they believe Jamal Khashoggi was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. ( AP: Hasan Jamali, file )

During a trip to Turkey, he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to get papers ahead of his marriage, but he hasn't been seen since.

It's been alleged he was killed in the country's consulate — here's what you need to know.

What happened?

Friends say Khashoggi went to the consulate last Tuesday to obtain the documents he needed to marry his Turkish fiancee, Hatice Cengiz.

Ms Cengiz said she waited for hours, but Khashoggi didn't come out.

According to the Washington Post, Ms Cengiz said Khashoggi was concerned he would not be allowed to leave — before entering the consulate, he gave her his phone and instructions to call a Turkish official if he did not return.

His friend, Turan Kislakci, said Turkish officials told him that Khashoggi had been "killed in a barbaric way".

What are Turkey and Saudi Arabia saying?

Questions remain over what happened to Mr Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate. ( AP: Lefteris Pitarakis )

Turkish officials say they have concrete evidence Khashoggi was murdered and his body was removed — but they haven't presented it.

They allege he was tortured, killed and cut into pieces.

Turkey says a team of 15 Saudis arrived at the consulate last Tuesday (local time) and it is believed they are involved in Khashoggi's disappearance. They left for Riyadh, the Saudi capital, the same day.

Saudi Arabia has said the accusations are "baseless" and claims Khashoggi left the consulate shortly after he arrived.

Sorry, this video has expired Investigators could still find clues at the consulate, says FBI veteran Martin Reardon

Saudi Consul-General Mohammad al-Otaibi said Saudi officials were searching for the journalist and gave a tour of the consulate to Reuters reporters to prove Khashoggi was not there.

Saudi Arabia has now invited Turkish experts and related officials to visit the consulate, according to Turkey's foreign ministry.

Searches of diplomatic buildings are incredibly rare — under international law, the grounds of an embassy or consulate are considered to belong to the country that is represented there, not the host nation.

What evidence has been released?

CCTV footage from outside the consulate appears to show Khashoggi entering the building. ( Hurriyet via AP )

A surveillance image has emerged that shows Khashoggi entering the consulate on the day he disappeared. The CCTV image, obtained by the Washington Post, was reportedly leaked by somebody "close to the investigation".

Meanwhile, Turkish authorities are scouring motorway camera footage in the hopes of finding a black van they suspect carried Khashoggi's body out of the consulate.

The van, which had diplomatic number plates, left in a convoy around two hours after Khashoggi entered. Security footage shows boxes were loaded into the van.

While Turkish officials will soon be able to enter the diplomatic compound, there is concern that potential evidence may be long gone.

"Embassy employees or consulate employees have plenty of time to clean a potential crime scene, and if there was a crime, they certainly would have done that," FBI veteran Martin Reardon told the ABC's The World program.

"But a good crime scene inspection or search often comes up with evidence that perpetrators bypass, it could be some small piece of DNA, or hairs and fibre — something that can be tied to the victim."

Why is international law a factor?

International law provides a raft of privileges and immunities to foreign diplomats. ( AP: Emrah Gurel )

The Saudi consulate is located on Turkish territory, but under international law, a consulate is "absolutely inviolable" by another country.

That means Turkish police cannot enter and search the consulate unless they get permission from the Saudi authorities, which they have now reportedly received.

Ben Saul, Professor of International Law at the University of Sydney, says that a host state cannot interfere with consulate communications, and crates are deemed to be "diplomatic bags".

This could in theory make it possible to smuggle goods — or potentially a body — out of the country.



If a crime did take place, it's possible no one would be held accountable as diplomatic immunity potentially covers people involved in an alleged murder.

"Diplomats get absolute immunity from criminal prosecutions, so if an ambassador was involved in the murder, they can't be touched," Professor Saul said.

Consulate officials, however, are not protected from prosecution for "grave crimes" such as murder, and might also be subjected to a civil suit if Khashoggi's family chose to sue.

What's next?

A security guard closes the entrance to a blocked road leading to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. ( AP: Emrah Gurel )

The disappearance of the prominent critic of the Saudi regime, which comes at a time of strained relations between Saudi Arabia and Turkey, could cause a diplomatic crisis.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is demanding that Saudi Arabia prove its claim that Khashoggi left the consulate, saying it was inadequate to simply say "he has left".

"When this person enters, whose duty is it to prove that he left or not? It is [the duty] of the consulate officials," Mr Erdogan said this week.

"Don't you have cameras and other things? Why don't you prove it? You have to prove it."

International pressure is also ramping up on Saudi Arabia to cooperate with the probe. US President Donald Trump has told reporters he will speak with Saudi officials to discuss the case.

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The UN's human rights office has said it would be "truly shocking" if the grisly reports coming from Turkish officials are confirmed.

In the meantime, Turkey could declare individual Saudi diplomats as "persona non grata" — meaning they are no longer recognised, ending their diplomatic immunity — or it could effectively close down the consulate in order to gain access to the alleged crime scene.

"That is effectively terminating consular relations between Saudi Arabia on Turkish territory," Professor Saul said.

"That's a pretty drastic step, but this is also a pretty drastic case."