France has taken a significant step in the long-running case of murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. An investigating judge from the Paris-based crimes against humanity unit will now examine a complaint against Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, filed by the NGOs Trial International and Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
Khashoggi, a dissident journalist living in the United States, was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October 2018. His body was dismembered and has never been found. US intelligence agencies have directly implicated the crown prince in ordering the operation.
Legal Path Cleared After Appeal
The complaint was initially filed in July 2022, during a visit by Mohammed bin Salman to Paris, by Trial International and Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN), the organization that employed Khashoggi. RSF later joined the legal action. However, the National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office (PNAT) opposed opening an investigation, arguing the NGOs lacked standing for such crimes.
That decision was sharply criticized by RSF’s lawyer, Emmanuel Daoud, who accused the French state of prioritizing economic ties over justice. “This is realpolitik in the name of France’s superior economic interests so as not to anger the Saudi authorities,” Daoud said.
The Paris Court of Appeal overturned the prosecutor’s objection, ruling that “the possibility that these acts could be classified as crimes against humanity cannot be ruled out.” The PNAT has now confirmed that an investigating judge will take up the case.
The NGOs accuse Mohammed bin Salman of complicity in acts of torture and enforced disappearance as part of an organized group, specifically alleging he “ordered the murder by asphyxiation” of Khashoggi by his subordinates.
DAWN, which cannot join the case as a civil party, nonetheless welcomed the development. “This is an important step towards justice,” the organization said.
The case highlights the tension between France’s commercial and diplomatic interests in the Gulf and its commitment to human rights. Saudi Arabia, initially ostracized after the murder, has since been rehabilitated by many Western governments. During a meeting with former US President Donald Trump in late 2025, Mohammed bin Salman described the killing as “a huge mistake,” while still refusing to acknowledge his own role.
This investigation also comes amid broader European scrutiny of Saudi actions. In a separate development, a Spanish probe recently revealed that a sunken Russian ship was carrying nuclear reactors bound for North Korea, underscoring the continent’s role in monitoring global security threats.
