Turkey slams Saudi Khashoggi ruling

Turkey on Monday said a Saudi court ruling overturning five death sentences in the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi did not meet global expectations.

A critic of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the 59-year-old was strangled and his body cut into pieces by a 15-man Saudi squad, according to Turkish officials. His remains have not been found.

"The final verdict that a Saudi court issued today regarding journalist Jamal Khashoggi's execution inside the Kingdom's consulate in Istanbul fell short of meeting the expectations of Turkey and the international community," Fahrettin Altun, communications director at the Turkish presidency, wrote on Twitter.

Eight unnamed defendants were handed jail terms of between seven and 20 years in a verdict that comes after Khashoggi's sons "pardoned" the killers in May, paving the way for a less severe punishment.

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"We still don't know what happened to Khashoggi's body, who wanted him dead or if there were local collaborators – which casts doubt on the credibility of the legal proceedings in KSA," Altun tweeted.

He urged Saudi authorities to cooperate with Turkey's own investigation into the killing.

In July, Turkey opened a trial in absentia for 20 Saudi nationals over the murder.

The defendants include two former aides to the prince, who denies involvement.

"It is a legal and conscientious obligation to shed light on the Jamal Khashoggi murder, which was committed within Turkey's borders, and to deliver justice," Altun tweeted.

"That is the only way to ensure that similar atrocities can be prevented in the future."