Turkey prepares indictment against six Saudi officials in Khashoggi murder trial: Report

Turkish prosecutors have reportedly prepared a second indictment against six Saudi officials in the murder trial of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist, went to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October 2018 when he was murdered and his body was dismembered. 

According to the state-run Anadolu news agency, two suspects were facing charges carrying aggravated life sentences and the other four were facing charges caring up to five years in prison. It is still not clear whether the six officials were among those already went under trial in absentia in an Istanbul court in July.

Turkey claims that the killing of Khashoggi was ordered by Saudi deputy intelligence chief Ahmed al-Assiri and the royal court's media czar Saud al-Qahtani. The trial in absentia of 20 Saudi officials started on July 3 where Khashoggi’s fiancee also appeared in the court to testify, hoping that the trial will reveal the truth behind Jamal’s body and killers involved in it.

Read: Trump Boasted About Saving Saudi Crown Prince After Khashoggi's Killing: Report

Read: UN Rights Office Says Khashoggi Trial Lacked 'transparency' And 'accountability'

Death sentences set aside

Last year, a Saudi court sentenced five people to death and prison term to three people, exonerating Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s inner circle. Earlier this month, the court jailed all convicted felon for between seven to 20 years after Khashoggi's family exercised its right under Sharia law and forgave his killers, enabling earlier death sentences to be set aside.

Ahead of the trial, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Secretary-General Christophe Deloire had said in a statement that Khashoggi’s assassination remains one of the most horrific crimes against a journalist they have ever seen. He expressed shock that very little has been done to secure justice or hold the Saudi government accountable after nearly two years of the killing.

“We hope the Istanbul proceedings will open not only a new route to justice, but will serve as a wake-up call to the international community on the urgent need to end impunity for Khashoggi’s murder and ensure better protections for journalists everywhere,” added Deloire.

Read: Turkey Condemns Saudi Court's Final Verdict On Jamal Khashoggi Murder

Read: Saudi Court Overturns Death Sentence Of Jamal Khashoggi's Killers; Fiancee Calls It Farce

(Image: AP)