Legal Petition Urges ICC Investigate Saudi Crown Prince over Khashoggi Murder

A US-based law firm  Fein & Delvalle has filed a petition at the International Criminal Court (ICC) to have Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) investigated for alleged “crimes against humanity”, including the murder of Saudi journalist  Jamal Khashoggi.

The petition was filed on behalf of an anonymous human rights organisation, whose identity has been redacted in the filing.

Khashoggi, 59, was killed a year ago by a team of Saudi agents in the kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul and his dismembered body has not been found.

Saudi Arabia has consistently denied that MBS ordered the killing, but a UN investigator has said there was “credible evidence” of the crown prince’s liability that warrants further investigation while the CIA has reportedly concluded  that the killing was probably ordered by the prince.

In a petition filed to the ICC’s chief prosecutor in July and made public on Wednesday, the anniversary of Khashoggi’s killing,

It was not clear whether the Hague-based court would respond to the petition, as it only has jurisdiction over crimes committed on the territory of its member states. Neither Saudi Arabia nor Turkey is a member of the court.