Istanbul, March 31, (dpa/GNA) – The Turkish prosecutor in charge of the murder case of Saudi journalist, Jamal Khashoggi, has asked the court in Istanbul to cease proceedings against the defendants and transfer the case to Saudi Arabian courts, state news agency Anadolu reported on Thursday.
The court opted to ask the Justice Ministry’s opinion on the matter, Anadolu said. If accepted, the decision will effectively mean dropping the case in Turkish courts.
The Istanbul chief public prosecutor’s office was not immediately available to comment.
A trial of 26 defendants, including a former close advisor to the Saudi crown prince, has been underway in Istanbul for nearly two years.
Khashoggi was killed on October 2, 2018, in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul by a special commando from Riyadh. The government in Riyadh only admitted to the murder after international pressure.
According to a 2021 US intelligence report, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had authorized the operation to capture or kill Khashoggi. The crown prince, who is the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, however, denied having ordered the killing.
GNA