Accused of having ordered the murder of the journalist, Mohammed Ben Salman benefits from judicial immunity in the United States, confirmed the judge in charge of the file.
Mo12345lemonde with AFP
An American judge ranked without follow-up Tuesday, December 7, a complaint filed in the United States on Tuesday against the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed Ben Salman. He is accused of having ordered the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
The magistrate John Bates estimated these “credible” accusations but said he was bound by the position recently taken by the United States government, according to whom “MBS” benefits from judicial immunity as an in -practice head of government. This immunity decision was formalized by the government of the United States in a document on November 18.
“The United States respectfully informs the court that the defendant Mohammed Ben Salman, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is the head of government in practice and, therefore, benefits from immunity against these prosecution”, Is it written in this argument signed by the administration of the American president, Joe Biden.
In a Sigping editorial , the Washington Post, for whom Mr. Khashoggi had collaborated as a columnist, denounced the fact that President Joe Biden “thus turned his back on the fundamental principles of the freedom of the press and equality “.
” Absolutely nothing to do “
For its defense, the White House had assured by the voice of the spokesperson of the National Security Council, John Kirby, that the judicial immunity of the Crown Prince has “absolutely nothing to do with the bilateral relationship with the ‘Saudi Arabia which is, as you know, stretched at the moment. ” He had insisted that it was a decision of the Ministry of Justice at the request of the State Department.
After a period of relative dismissal following the murder of the journalist, MBS returned to the international scene during this year, notably thanks to the American president. Joe Biden went to Saudi Arabia in July, an initiative with uncommon gains, when he had previously sworn to make the kingdom a “pariah”. Last year, Mr. Biden made public a report by the intelligence services revealing that the prince had approved the operation that led to the death of Jamal Khashoggi. Saudi authorities have denied.