Jamal Khashoggi murder | Prosecutor wants the file to be handed over to Saudi Arabia

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The trial over the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Saudi Arabia's Consulate General in İstanbul continued today (March 31).

In the trial of 26 defendants in their absence, the seventh hearing was held at the 11th High Criminal Court.

The hearing was attended by Khashoggi's fiancee Hatice Cengiz and her lawyer Ali Ceylan while it was also followed by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Representative to Turkey Erol Önderoğlu.

The prosecutor's office pronounced its final opinion as to the accusations and said that the Prosecutor's Office of Saudi Arabia had sent a written correspondence to the court in Turkey, requesting that the file be handed over to Saudi Arabia and the red notice on the defendants be lifted.

The prosecutor's office cited the "hardships" in the file and requested that the case file be handed over to Saudi Arabia.

In the opinion of the prosecutor, it was said: "On the grounds that the defendants are citizens of a foreign country, their statements cannot be taken since the warrants and red notices issued against them cannot be executed and the file drags on in its current condition, it is requested that the file be halted as per Article 24 of the Law on International Judicial Cooperation in Criminal Matters, the file be handed over to the judicial authorities in Saudi Arabia and the necessary procedures be undertaken".

The court board has ruled that the Justice Ministry shall be sent a written correspondence and asked for its opinion about handing over the file. The court has also ruled that the detention warrants and red notices issued against the 26 defendants shall remain in effect and the answer to the letter sent to the Interpol Department for the identification of the defendants' criminal records and civil registry shall be awaited.

The next hearing will be held on April 7, 2022.

'We are trying to understand'

Answering the questions of reporters after the hearing, lawyer Ali Ceylan said, "Since we have not yet seen the answer coming from Saudi Arabia, I cannot say anything. But the prosecutor has requested a ruling for halting the trial. We will see; it is hard to say something".

Commenting on the developments, Hatice Cengiz also said, "We cannot fully understand it, either. We are trying to understand".

(HA/SD)