On Tuesday, December 6, an American judge dismissed the complaint filed against Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is accused of ordering the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Without ruling on the merits of the case, Magistrate John Bates said he was bound by a recent US government position that MBS enjoys legal immunity as head of government.
Former Saudi aide Jamal Khashoggi was killed and dismembered in 2018 at the kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul, Turkey. The killing sparked an international outcry and made Prince Mohammed bin Salman a disgrace in the West. Saudi authorities have always denied his responsibility, but it is believed that the assassination was ordered by American intelligence.
“Weakness”
In 2020, the journalist’s Turkish fiancee, Hatice Cengiz, and the “Democracy for the Arab World Now” (DAWN) association she founded in the United States filed a civil complaint in American courts against the crown prince and other Saudi officials. It was this complaint that Judge Bates rejected in his opinion “Concern over the circumstances of Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s appointment and credible allegations of his involvement in Khashoggi’s assassination”..
“While we are disappointed by this decision, we will explore all possible options to continue our legal action against MBS’s criminal conduct.” Sarah Leah Whitson, director of the DAWN Association, said Tuesday:
Source: Le Figaro
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.