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A Turkish court docket on Thursday suspended the trial in absentia of 26 Saudis charged with the killing of Jamal Khashoggi and confirmed transferring the case to Saudi Arabia.
Khashoggi, an outspoken critic of the Saudi royal household and a columnist for The Washington Submit, was killed within the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018.
Final week, Turkish prosecutors referred to as for the case’s switch to Saudi authorities, sparking huge criticism from human rights teams and Kashoggi’s household.
Critics have warned that turning the case to Saudi Arabia would result in a cover-up of the homicide, because the case has solid suspicion on Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The transfer can also be extensively seen as a political one, as it’s seemingly to assist Turkey — which has been fighting an financial downturn — restore its ties with Saudi Arabia and allies within the area.
It is nonetheless unclear if Saudi Arabia, which has already put among the defendants on trial, would open a brand new case.
Thriller has surrounded Khashoggi’s homicide, together with his physique by no means having been discovered
Khashoggi’s fiancee seeks to overturn determination
Khashoggi’s fiancee Hatice Cengiz mentioned she would enchantment the Turkish court docket’s determination.
Turkey “isn’t dominated by a household like in Saudi Arabia. We’ve a justice system that addresses residents’ grievances,” she instructed reporters. “We are going to enchantment the choice consistent with our authorized system.”
Cengiz’s legal professionals additionally slammed the choice to halt the trial in Turkey, saying it was “in opposition to the regulation […] as a result of the acquittal ruling concerning the defendants in Saudi Arabia has been finalized.”
Hatice Cengiz enters the courtroom at Istanbul’s Caglayan Court docket as judges rule on the prosecution’s demand to finish the trial and refer it to Saudi authorities
A good trial in Saudi Arabia is unlikely, teams warn
Rights teams have raised considerations over Saudi Arabia’s justice system and its human rights document.
“By transferring the case of a homicide that was dedicated on its territory, Turkey shall be knowingly and willingly sending the case again into the palms of those that bear its accountability,” mentioned Amnesty Worldwide’s Secretary-Basic Agnes Callamard.
“Certainly, the Saudi system has repeatedly didn’t cooperate with the Turkish prosecutor and it’s clear that justice can’t be delivered by a Saudi court docket.”
Human Rights Watch (HRW) additionally echoed Amnesty Worldwide’s considerations.
“Given the whole lack of judicial independence in Saudi Arabia, the function of the Saudi authorities in Khashoggi’s killing, its previous makes an attempt at obstructing justice, and a legal justice system that fails to fulfill primary requirements of equity, possibilities of a good trial for the Khashoggi case in Saudi Arabia are near nil,” HRW mentioned.
Trial in absentia
Turkish officers have alleged that Khashoggi was killed after which dismembered with a bone noticed contained in the consulate by a group of Saudi brokers despatched to Istanbul.
His physique has not been discovered.
Safety cam picture of Jamal Khashoggi coming into the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, the place he was final seen, on October 2, 2018
In 2020, Turkey started prosecuting defendants in absentia after Saudi Arabia rejected requests for his or her extradition. The defendants included two former aides of the prince.
Saudia Arabia put some defendants on trial behind closed doorways. The court docket sentenced 5 mid-level officers and operatives to 20-year jail phrases.
The Riyadh court docket had initially ordered the demise penalty, however Khashoggi’s son mentioned he forgave the defendants, main the judges to scale back their punishment.
fb/sms (AP, AFP, Reuters)
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