Turkey prosecutor asks to halt trial of Saudis

A Turkish prosecutor has asked a court to halt the trial in absentia of 26 Saudi suspects over the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018 at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul and transfer the case to Saudi authorities.

The development comes as Turkey is seeking a thaw in relations with Saudi Arabia, which worsened after the killing of Khashoggi, a contributor to The Washington Post.

Amnesty International urged Turkey to press ahead with the trial, saying if it is transferred to Saudi Arabia, Turkey will be “knowingly and willingly sending the case to a place where it will be covered up.”