‘Saudi court fails to meet expectations on Khashoggi’

By Davut Demircan

ANKARA (AA) - Decision falls far short of expectations, Turkish Foreign Ministry said on Monday over decision by Saudi court over the murder of Jamal Khashoggi in 2018.

“The decision is far from meeting the expectations of both our country and the international community for enlightening all aspects of this murder and for the manifestation of justice,” Hami Aksoy, the ministry spokesman, said in a written statement.

Aksoy reiterated Turkey’s expectation for judicial cooperation with Saudi authorities.

Khashoggi, a columnist for The Washington Post and a U.S. resident, was murdered after entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2 of last year on a visit to pick up paperwork for his forthcoming marriage.

A Saudi court has sentenced five people to death for taking part in the murder of prominent journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Speaking at a press conference in Riyadh on Monday, Shalaan al-Shalaan said 11 people have been put on trial in connection with Khashoggi's killing.

He said three people were given jail terms totaling 24 years in prison for their role in covering up the crime and violating law.

Al-Shalaan said the court dismissed the public prosecutor's charges against three other suspects and found them not guilty.

He said former royal adviser Saud al-Qahtani was investigated and was not charged in the killing.

Al-Shalaan said Mohammed al-Oteibi, the former consul-general in Istanbul, was also not charged and released because "he was not at the consulate at the time of the killing."

He said Ahmed Assiri, the former intelligence deputy chief, was investigated and released after finding no evidence implicating him in the murder.

The Public Prosecution did not file charges against ten other individuals and released them due to insufficient evidence, al-Shalaan added.