Turkey trying Khashoggi murder suspects in absentiaSaudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was an insider turned critic of RiyadhISTANBUL: Twenty Saudi suspects including two former aides to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman went on trial in absentia in Turkey on Friday, accused of killing and dismembering journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018. The prosecutor has already issued arrest warrants for the suspects who are not in Turkey. Erdogan has said the order to murder Khashoggi came from "the highest levels" of the Saudi government but has never directly blamed Prince Mohammed. Khashoggi was killed and dismembered in the Saudi consulate in a case that tarnished the reputation of the crown prince despite his strenuous denial of any involvement. A closed-door trial of 11 suspects in Saudi Arabia ended in December with five unnamed people sentenced to death.

Source: Bangkok Post July 03, 2020 09:00 UTC