US Court dismisses Khashoggi lawsuit against Saudi Crown Prince

WASHINGTON, Dec 7 (Bernama) -- A US federal court dismissed a lawsuit against Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman over his alleged role in the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi due to an immunity recommendation from the Biden administration, according to a memorandum opinion.

Judge John Bates of the US District Court for the District of Columbia on Tuesday dismissed claims against bin Salman and two other defendants after the Biden administration recommended immunity for the crown prince, Sputnik reported.

Khashoggi was killed in October 2018 by Saudi agents inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. US intelligence believed that bin Salman, who had become the prime minister in September, had allegedly approved an operation to murder the journalist.

The facts of the case provide a strong argument that the claims against bin Salman are meritorious, although the case cannot be resolved by the court at this time, the filing said.

"Despite the Court’s uneasiness, then, with both the circumstances of bin Salman’s appointment and the credible allegations of his involvement in Khashoggi’s murder, the United States has informed the Court that he is immune, and bin Salman is therefore ‘entitled to head of state immunity… while he remains in office,’" the filing said. "Accordingly, the claims against bin Salman will be dismissed based on head-of-state immunity."

Historically, courts surrender their jurisdiction when the State Department files a suggestion of immunity, according to the filing.

In July, US President Joe Biden met with bin Salman in Jeddah, during which time he raised Khashoggi’s murder. The crown prince responded by saying he was not personally responsible for the murder and that action was taken against those who were responsible.

-- BERNAMA