Istanbul’s chief prosecutor has on Wednesday, filed an arrest warrant and demanded the warrant to be issued against two top Saudi national aide close to Saudi Arabia crown prince Mohammed bin Salem accused of murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Chief prosecutor has filed an application to obtain the arrest warrants for Saud al-Qahtani and Ahmad al-Assiri, who played an alleged role in Khashoggi’s murder on October 2, in Saudi’s consulate in Istanbul – a “strong suspicion” by the prosecutors. They concluded that both of them were detained from their position in the month October.
The step comes followed by a senior US senator’s statement that they all were more certain than ever over Salem that he had ordered the killing of Khashoggi and thus responsible for the act.
A resolution was introduced on Wednesday, by a group of Unites States senator to US government urging them to hold Salem accountable for various actions – Khashoggi’s murder and also contributing to Yemen crisis.
On Wednesday, the United Nation human rights chief has called upon an international investigation over the matter. But, however, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has declined the request – an order came from top level of Saudi government, and also US President Donald Trump has said that Washington would not take any kind of actions against Salem that would disturb its relation.
Turkish official said, “The prosecution`s move to issue arrest warrants for Asiri and Qahtani reflects the view that the Saudi authorities won`t take formal action against those individuals.”
The official further said, “The international community seems to doubt Saudi Arabia`s commitment to prosecute this heinous crime. By extraditing all suspects to Turkey, where Jamal Khashoggi was killed and dismembered, the Saudi authorities could address those concerns.”