Isaac Hammouch’s new essay on the killing of Jamal Khashoggi approaches the case not only as a shocking murder, but as a revealing test of international power, justice and political responsibility.
A new book by journalist and author Isaac Hammouch is bringing renewed attention to one of the most consequential political killings of the past decade. Titled Le meurtre de Khashoggi, the work examines the assassination of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi through a political and geopolitical framework, asking not only what happened in Istanbul in October 2018, but what the case continues to reveal about power, impunity and the fragility of accountability in international affairs.
Published by Code Humanité, the book is presented by the publisher as a 118-page essay that explores the responsibilities, international dynamics and mechanisms of power surrounding the killing. On its website, the publisher describes it as an effort to move beyond official narratives and to offer a documented analysis of a “state crime” whose consequences extend far beyond the murder itself. The full title presented there is Le meurtre de Khashoggi: La responsabilité de Mohammed ben Salmane.
According to the author’s own announcement, the book seeks to provide “an in-depth political and geostrategic analysis” in order to understand “the responsibilities, the international stakes and the truths surrounding this contemporary state crime.” He also describes it as a work of “truth, memory and analysis,” aimed at readers who want to understand the case beyond surface-level accounts.
The subject remains internationally significant. Khashoggi, a Saudi columnist known for his criticism of Saudi policies, was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on 2 October 2018. The case led to major international investigations, including a United Nations inquiry that found the killing amounted to an extrajudicial execution under international human rights law, and a declassified U.S. intelligence assessment that concluded the operation was unlikely to have taken place without high-level authorization. Saudi authorities have rejected allegations of senior-level responsibility.
What distinguishes Hammouch’s book is its apparent decision to treat the Khashoggi case not simply as a diplomatic scandal or criminal file, but as a window into broader questions of state conduct. The argument, as outlined by the publisher and by commentary surrounding the release, is that the murder exposed the tensions between strategic alliances and human rights principles, between diplomatic immunity and criminal accountability, and between the language of international law and the reality of power politics.
That broader framing helps explain why the book may find readers beyond those already familiar with the Khashoggi affair. It speaks to concerns that remain current in 2026: transnational repression, the vulnerability of dissident journalists, and the difficulty democratic governments often face when confronting abuses committed by powerful partners. In that sense, the book enters not only a historical debate, but an ongoing one.
The book is currently available to order through the publisher and via Amazon. According to Code Humanité, it is also expected to reach bookstores next month, including Fnac, and to be made available in several libraries in France and internationally. English and Spanish editions are also said to be in translation.
The launch has been noted in several French-language outlets, including Politique Matin, Entrevue, Opinion Internationale and Infomatin. Earlier coverage in The European Times had already signalled the forthcoming publication.
Nearly eight years after Khashoggi’s killing, Hammouch’s essay arrives as a reminder that some crimes do not fade with time. They remain reference points for how the world measures truth, responsibility and the value it places on a free and independent voice.
