Journalists from outlets including The New York Times and The Economist said Wednesday they will boycott an investors conference in Saudi Arabia this month over the disappearance of The Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi.
The Saudi government has provided little information on Khashoggi's disappearance after he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2. Meanwhile, Turkish officials believe Khashoggi, a critic of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman and his policies, was assassinated inside the consulate.
"I'm terribly distressed by the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and reports of his murder. I will no longer be participating in the Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh," wrote CNBC's Aaron Ross Sorkin on Twitter.
The Economist's editor-in-chief Zanny Minton Beddoes also said she had withdrawn.
"Murdering a critic on foreign soil would be an escalation of a dismal trend," read an editorial posted by The Economist on Thursday, The Hill reported.
"Unlike past Saudi royals, who allowed some debate and often sought to mediate between competing interests, Prince Muhammad rules as if only he has the answers," the statement added.
New Los Angeles Times owner Patrick Soon-Shiong, in a statement to CNBC, also announced he will not attend.
The New York Times announced Wednesday it was pulling out of cosponsoring the event, and though The Washington Post was not slated to attend, its Global Opinions editor, Karen Attiah, urged sponsors of the conference to withdraw, The Hill reported.
"American investors, media professionals and government officials are going to Saudi Arabia for its Future Investment Initiative conference in Riyadh Oct 23," tweeted Attiah. "After WaPo journalist Jamal #Khashoggi's likely murder by KSA, these partners should WITHDRAW."
Fox Business Network, CNBC, CNN and the Bloomberg are also listed as media partners for the event, The Hill reported.
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