Moscow Urges to Avoid Politisation of Probe Into Khashoggi Killing

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Moscow has no reasons to doubt the ability of Saudi authorities to conduct a proper investigation of the killing of opposition journalist Jamal Khashoggi and warns against politicizing this tragedy, a source in the Russian Foreign Ministry told Sputnik on Friday.

"Moscow notes the course taken from the beginning by the Saudi side to conduct the most thorough and objective investigation of the incident, including the interaction with the Turkish authorities," the source said.

READ MORE: Turkish Media Claims Audio Tapes Disprove Saudi Version of Khashoggi Killing

The Foreign Ministry official stressed further that Russia sees 'no reason to question the ability of the Saudi authorities to deal with this high-profile case at the proper professional level.'

Addressing the politicisation of the issue, he stressed that Moscow was convinced that it was 'inadmissible', as such cases needed to be 'resolved exclusively within the legal framework.' 

The official's statement comes after Saudi Prosecutor General's Office announced on Thursday the completion of the investigation of Khashoggi's murder saying that 21 people had been detained in connection with the case, with 11 of them charged. Prosecutors are demanding the death penalty for five of the defenders.