US Court dismisses lawsuit against Saudi Crown Prince in Khashoggi killing

In November, the Biden administration decided that Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince MBS should be granted immunity in journalist Jamal Khashoggi killing case

Washington, Dec 07: A lawsuit filed by the fiance of slain journalist Jamal Khashoggi against Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was dismissed by a federal judge in Washington on Tuesday, who said that he was reluctant to dismiss the lawsuit but had no choice due to Biden's administration's decision to grant the Prince immunity.

In the 25-page ruling, district judge John Bates wrote, "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," as per a Reuters report.

Bates also cited the circumstances and timings of Prince Mohammed's appointment as Saudi Arabi's Prime Minister and said that he was named Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia in a royal decree in September.

Earlier in November, Attorneys for the US Department of Justice said that the Biden Administration had determined that Prince Mohammed, "as the sitting head of a foreign government, enjoys head of state immunity from the jurisdiction of U.S. courts as a result of that office."

Following the decision, Khashoggi's fiance, Hatice Cengiz, had said: "Jamal died again today."

MBS was granted immunity in USA:

In late November, the Biden administration had decided that Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, known by his initials MBS, should be granted immunity in the case brought against him by the fiancée of Jamal Khashoggi.

The justice department said, "Mohammed bin Salman, the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is the sitting head of government and, accordingly, is immune from this suit."

Jamal Khashoggi murder:

The Washington Post journalist Khashoggi was killed and his body dismembered in October 2018 by Saudi agents in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Following his murder, U.S. intelligence had said that the killing of the journalist was ordered by Prince Mohammed who has been the kingdom's de facto ruler for several years.

Khashoggi in his columns in Washington Post had criticized the crown prince's policies. The journalist was murdered when he had traveled to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to obtain the papers he needed to marry Hatice Cengiz.

However, the Prince had denied ordering Khashoggi's killing. He had acknowledged that it took place under his watch.