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Press freedom group files criminal charges against Mohammed bin Salman over Khashoggi murder

GLOBAL press freedom group Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has lodged a criminal case against Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for “crimes against humanity” in the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, it confirmed today.

The file, lodged in a German court on Monday, seeks an inquiry by prosecutors under Germany’s international jurisdiction laws.

RSF has accused the reactionary Gulf kingdom of persecuting Mr Khashoggi, who was murdered at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October 2018, as well as dozens of other journalists.

General secretary Christophe Deloire called on German prosecutors to take a stand. 

“No-one should be above international law, especially when crimes of humanity are at stake,” he said.

The charges come just days after United States President Joe Biden’s administration declassified an intelligence report which said that Prince Mohammed had “approved an operation in Istanbul, Turkey, to capture or kill Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.”

Saudi Arabia has dismissed the report, insisting the killing was “a rogue operation,” while the US has been accused of responding weakly by refusing to place sanctions on the Saudi prince.

United Nations special rapporteur Agnes Callamard said on Monday that it was “extremely dangerous” for the US to have named Prince Mohammed as having approved an operation to capture or kill Mr Khashoggi but not to have taken action against him.

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