Saudi Arabia rejects handing over Khashoggi’s investigation to Turkey

Saudi Arabia yesterday refused a recent request by Turkey to obtain the investigation file conducted by the Riyadh Criminal Court on the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Turkey’s Yeni Şafak quoted local legal sources as saying that that the public prosecutor in the country’s city of Istanbul had submitted an official request to the Saudi authorities through Ankara’s justice, seeking details about the trial of those convicted in the murder.

“The Saudi authorities did not respond to the Istanbul Chief Prosecutor office’s request,” the sources added.

In response, the Turkish foreign affairs ministry was reported to have formally requested details on trial from its Saudi counterpart.

READ: UN expert condemns Saudi Arabia ruling on Khashoggi murder

Khashoggi, a prominent Saudi journalist and columnist for the Washington Post who held an influential position in the Saudi press before going into self-exile for criticising the kingdom’s recent policies, disappeared on 2 October following his visit to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

After 18 days of denial and conflicting accounts, Riyadh confessed Khashoggi’s assassination inside the Saudi consulate, following a “quarrel” with Saudi nationals. It arrested 18 Saudis as part of the investigations, without revealing those responsible for the crime or the location of the body.

The murder was initially linked back to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman through audio recordings obtained by Turkish intelligence, but he has only admitted responsibility for the incident taking place under his watch while denying any direct involvement in it himself.

A court in the kingdom then issued the sentences against five of the agents involved in the murder, resulting in further international condemnation due to the crown prince himself not being held to account or investigated.

READ: The stench of injustice hangs over the Khashoggi murder trial