Hatice Cengiz, Khashoggi’s fiancé, had filed a lawsuit against the crown prince. She asked for compensation. Due to the US court ruling, she tweeted that “Jamal died again today.”
Salman was entitled to immunity because he had recently been appointed prime minister. The US State Department says this is purely a “legal qualification”. But according to Amnesty International, it is more than that. “It all boils down to impunity,” said Secretary General Agnès Callamard.
Khashoggi is believed to have criticized the Saudi government on several occasions and was killed on October 2, 2018 while visiting the consulate in Istanbul. The journalist’s body has never been found.
In July, President Joe Biden spoke with Salman about the issue. Biden holds him responsible for the murder of the journalist and therefore said that the immunity sentence was not a determination of innocence. But the prince continues to deny his role in the murder.
The assassination has caused a global uproar and damaged the image of the crown prince and his country. It has also led to a major setback in US-Saudi relations. But during the summer of 2019, President Biden said he wanted to improve relations. His visit to the country was heavily criticized after Khashoggi’s assassination.
