Turkish court decides to transfer Khashoggi murder trial to Saudi Arabia

Khashoggi, who was a Saudi Arabian journalist, dissident, author, and columnist for The Washington Post, was assassinated at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on 2 October 2018 by agents of the Saudi government, allegedly at the behest of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Last week, Turkish prosecutors called for the transfer of Khashoggi murder trial to Riyadh, drawing severe criticism from human rights groups and Kashoggi's family.

Bekir Bozdag, Turkey’s justice minister, said that the Turkish government will recommend that the trial-in-absentia of the 26 Saudi nationals charged with the murder of Khashoggi be halted, and the case be transferred to Saudi Arabia.

Amnesty International had urged Turkey not to transfer the case to Saudi Arabia.

“By transferring Jamal Khashoggi's killing to Saudi Arabia, Turkey is handing it back to those responsible for it. It is a sure, certain guarantee that injustice and impunity will prevail. In a Turkish proverb words: ‘never trust the wolf to guard the lamb’,” said Amnesty International’s secretary-general, Agnès Callamard.

There are fears that the decision will almost certainly end the last trial aimed at serving justice for a crime that caused global outrage. (ILKHA)