French Judge Appointed to Lead New Inquiry Into Jamal Khashoggi Killing

A French judge has been appointed to lead a new inquiry into the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, after a French appeals court ruled complaints filed by rights groups were admissible, the country’s national anti-terrorism prosecutors office said. The investigation, announced on Saturday, follows a May 11 decision by the Paris Court of Appeal that allowed the case to move forward, focusing on allegations of torture and enforced disappearance.

According to the prosecutors office, the inquiry will be conducted by a judge from the crimes against humanity unit. The case began after legal complaints submitted by TRIAL International and Reporters Without Borders were found admissible. A separate complaint filed by DAWN, Khashoggi’s employer, was ruled inadmissible.

Khashoggi was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October 2018 and his death was followed by the dismemberment of his body, according to the prosecutors office. The investigation stems in part from conclusions reported by U.S. intelligence that attributed responsibility to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, an assessment he has denied while acknowledging that the killing occurred “under my watch.”