Turkey suspends Khashoggi trial, moves it to Saudi Arabia
A TURKISH court has confirmed the transfer of the case of the murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi to Saudi Arabia — a move that his fiancée and rights groups warned could lead to a cover-up of the killing.
The court suspended the trial in absentia of the 26 Saudis charged with the killing and confirmed transferring the case.
Mr Khashoggi, an outspoken critic of the Saudi royal family and a columnist for The Washington
Post, was killed in the Saudi consulate in İstanbul in 2018.
Last week, Turkish prosecutors called for the case’s transfer to Saudi authorities, sparking widespread criticism by human rights groups and Kashoggi’s family.
Critics have warned that transerring the case to Saudi Arabia would lead to a cover-up of the murder, as suspicions of involvement by the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
It’s still unclear if Saudi Arabia, which has already put some of the defendants on trial, would open a new case.
FIANCEE SEEKS OVERTURN
Khashoggi’s fiancée Hatice Cengiz said she would appeal the Turkish court’s decision.
Turkey “is not ruled by a family like in Saudi Arabia. We have a justice system that addresses citizens’ grievances,” she said. “We will appeal the decision in line with our legal system.”
‘FAIR TRIAL UNLIKELY’
Rights groups have raised concerns over Saudi Arabia’s justice system and its human rights record.
“By transferring the case of a murder that was committed on its territory, Turkey will be knowingly and willingly sending the case back into the hands of those who bear its responsibility,” said Amnesty International’s Secretary-General Agnes Callamard.
“Indeed, the Saudi system has repeatedly failed to cooperate with the Turkish prosecutor and it is clear that justice cannot be delivered by a Saudi court.”
Human Rights Watch (HRW) also echoed Amnesty International’s concerns.
“Given the complete lack of judicial independence in Saudi Arabia, the role of the Saudi government in Khashoggi’s killing, its past attempts at obstructing justice, and a criminal justice system that fails to satisfy basic standards of fairness, chances of a fair trial for the Khashoggi case in Saudi Arabia are close to nil,” the HRW said.