Khashoggi’s Turkish fiancée sues Saudi crown prince at U.S. court

The fiancee of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was killed inside the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul in 2018, is suing the kingdom's crown prince and other officials in a U.S. court for their alleged role in directing the killing, Fox News reported.

Turkish citizen Hatice Cengiz and the human rights group Khashoggi established before his death, Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN), is pursuing Mohammed bin Salman and 28 others for damages over the murder, Fox News said.

Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist who was living in self-exile in the United States and a leading critic of Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman, was killed after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October 2018. The whereabouts of Khashoggi's body remains unknown.

Bin Salman and over two dozens suspects endeavoured to "permanently silence" Khashoggi in a pre-planned killing as Saudi officials in the United States viewed him "as an existential threat" to their interests, Cengiz and DAWN said in the 61-page complaint filed in a U.S. court in Columbia.

Cengiz is claiming personal injury and financial losses over Khashoggi's death, while DAWN said its works and plans were hampered by the loss.

In March, prosecutors in Turkey indicted 20 Saudi officials, including the former deputy chief of Saudi Arabia’s intelligence service and an ex-royal advisor, for committing premeditated murder with “monstrous intent”.

Bin Salman denied ordering Khashoggi’s death and initially said the murder was carried out by a “rogue operation”. However, CIA experts believe the crown prince gave a green light for the crime.