ISTANBUL, Oct. 25 (Xinhua) -- A group of people who called themselves friends of Jamal Khashoggi gathered Thursday in front of the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul to demand justice for the killed Saudi journalist.

The group called for punishment of those who were involved in Khashoggi's murder to the full extent, they said in a press statement read out in Arabic, Turkish and English.

Several foreign and Turkish journalists and political figures from different countries joined the crowd in holding a candle vigil for Khashoggi.

Khashoggi, a columnist for the U.S. newspaper The Washington Post, has not been seen since he entered the Saudi consulate on Oct. 2 to obtain documents for his upcoming marriage.

Riyadh has confirmed Khashoggi's death in a "fistfight" inside its consulate. Turkey has described the killing as a planned political murder, while demanding Saudi government hold those responsible accountable.

Turkish police and crime scene investigators have been searching for clues in the city about the whereabouts of the body of Khashoggi.