Turkey moves Khashoggi murder trial to Riyadh ahead of Erdogan's Saudi visit
Rahshan Saglam
Press TV, Istanbul
Ahead of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to Saudi Arabia, a Turkish court has ruled to halt the trial of Saudi suspects over the killing of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi and transferred it to Saudi Arabia.
Khashoggi, who was a prominent critic of Saudi crown prince Mohammed Bin Salman, was brutally murdered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October 2018.
The Turkish government back then had called for an international trial in the high-profile murder case.
The court suspended Khashoggi’s trial in absentia of 26 Saudi nationals accused of murdering him inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
The Turkish justice minister said a red notice had been issued for 26 suspects, 20 of them were asked to be extradited to Turkey, however the court's request was rejected, and Saudi Arabia demanded the case be transferred to Riyadh.
The case will be transferred to Saudi Arabia however it is seen by many as if it will be closed.
Saudi officials say the case is already closed and those involved have been convicted.
Khashoggi’s fiancé Hattice Cengiz, speaking to reporters in front of the courthouse, said she would appeal against the decision.
Many believe the drastic change in Turkey’s stance is due to Ankara’s bid to restore its relations with Saudi Arabia.
Turkish officials had previously said that Khashoggi, a known critic of the Saudi regime, was killed and dismembered inside the Saudi consulate in an operation approved by the highest-ranked officials in the kingdom.
Khashoggi’s trial intensified the friction between Ankara and Riyadh, but it seems now President Erdogan is looking for a warm welcome during his upcoming visit to the kingdom.
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