Saudi King Salman praises judiciary amid Khashoggi fallout

RIYADH: Saudi King Salman heaped praise on the kingdom’s judiciary Monday, in his first public remarks since critic Jamal Khashoggi’s murder tipped the country into one of its worst international crises.

The public prosecutor last week exonerated powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of involvement in the murder in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2, but the CIA reportedly concluded that he ordered the assassination. The prosecutor called for the death penalty against five men, announced indictments against 11 people and said a total of 21 individuals were in custody in connection with the killing.

“The kingdom was founded on Islamic principles of justice and equality, and we are proud of the efforts of the judiciary and the public prosecution,” the king said in his annual address to the Shura Council, a top advisory body.

“We ensure that this country will never deviate from implementing God’s law and... serving justice,” the 82-year-old monarch added, without directly addressing the murder of The Washington Post columnist in his speech.