“Established rule of law”: US protects Saudi crown prince from Khashoggi lawsuit

“Established Principle of Law”
US saves Saudi crown prince from Khashoggi lawsuit

Four years ago, journalist Jamal Khashoggi was brutally murdered in a Saudi Arabian consulate. The mastermind seems to have been found quickly: Saudi Arabia’s crown prince is said to have commissioned the murder. But MBS seems to get away with it in court.

The US government has declared Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman immune in a civil trial over the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. In a document made public Thursday, according to multiple reports, the US Department of Justice said the Crown Prince, also known as MBS, has become “acting leader of a government and thus enjoys immunities” with his recent appointment as prime minister.

The Justice Department said in the statement that the US government had expressed its concerns about the assassination of Khashoggi “at the highest level” of the Saudi Arabian leadership. “Nevertheless, it is an established legal principle that heads of state and government enjoy international immunity,” it says. “This does not express an assessment of the matter,” the legal experts emphasize in conclusion.

MBS was appointed Prime Minister by his father, King Salman, in September. The crown prince was previously deputy prime minister. He also holds the post of Minister of Defense and is Chairman of the Economy and Development Council of Saudi Arabia. The heir to the throne is already considered the de facto ruler of the strictly conservative and oil-rich Gulf state.

Murder without consequences

US intelligence has accused bin Salman of being responsible for the brutal murder of Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul by a hit squad four years ago. The crown prince himself denies being the mastermind behind the action. The murder led to the international isolation of the heir to the throne and plunged many Western countries’ relations with Saudi Arabia into a crisis that lasted for years. However, MBS has not yet been legally prosecuted.

Khashoggi’s fiancee, Hatice Cengiz, had therefore filed a lawsuit against the crown prince and alleged accomplices in the United States, accusing them of involvement in the reporter’s killing. However, following the US government’s comment, the civil court is expected to dismiss their lawsuit. The trial was considered the last chance to personally prosecute the Saudi crown prince for the murder.

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