was waiting for multiple investigations to conclude and that potential consequences would be "very severe."

Khashoggi, a critic of Saudi policy, issued a passionate call for free expression in the Arab world in what may be his final column.

He reflected on the hope that many in the region had in 2011, as uprisings swept through the Middle East, in what has widely been called the Arab Spring.

"Journalists, academics and the general population were brimming with expectations of a bright and free Arab society within their respective countries," Khashoggi wrote. "These expectations were quickly shattered; these societies either fell back to the old status quo or faced even harsher conditions than before."

Khashoggi spoke about increasing crackdowns on journalists by Arab governments. He called for a "platform for Arab voices."

"Through thecreation of an independent international forum, isolated from the influence of nationalist governments spreading hate through propaganda, ordinary people in the Arab world would be able to address the structural problems their societies face," he wrote.

Karen Attiah, the Post's Global Opinions editor, told NPR that publishing this column now was a way to get "away from sort of the geopolitics and just back to the humanity of it, about his thoughts, his words and his ideas."

Khashoggi's column was also published in Arabic, and Hiatt noted that it is currently one of the most read in the Opinion section.

"As Jamal said, people want to debate. And one of the most heartbreaking things about this is, he was a patriot. He supported a lot of the reforms that the crown