On Thursday, two human rights organizations filed a criminal complaint against Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who visited France and was welcomed by French President Emmanuel Macron, in a Paris court on Thursday evening.
The organization “Democracy Now in the Arab World”, DAWN, announced in a statement that it has submitted a complaint to the Trial International at the Paris Court against Prince Mohammed bin Salman and demanded an investigation into the torture. and the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was killed in the Kingdom’s consulate, Istanbul in 2018.
The statement said that the Saudi crown prince was involved in the torture and enforced disappearance of Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate, which is “a crime that is subject to domestic trial in France.”
Sarah Leah Whitson, Executive Director of DAWN, said: “French authorities should immediately open a criminal investigation against Mohammed bin Salman for his role in the heinous murder of Jamal Khashoggi.” He added: France, as one of the parties to the United Nations Convention against Torture and Enforced Disappearance, is obliged to investigate the presence of a suspect like Mohammed bin Salman on French soil.
The statement said that French law recognizes “universal jurisdiction” over the crimes of torture and enforced disappearance, meaning that “the French judicial authorities on torture and enforced disappearance have the power to investigate these crimes.” and prosecute their perpetrators regardless of where they are. They are committed regardless of the nationality of the suspects or their victims, as long as the suspect is on French soil.”
Source: Lebanon Debate
