Biden's new stance on Saudi Arabia, according to professor 1:14
(CNN) --
A Turkish court ruled Thursday that the absentee trial of 26 suspects accused of murdering Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi can be moved to Saudi Arabia, in a move that could effectively end the case.
Khashoggi's murder at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018 sparked a global outcry against the kingdom and its de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Turkish officials said Khashoggi, a prominent critic of bin Salman, was killed and dismembered inside the consulate in an operation that had been approved by the "highest levels" in Riyadh.
US intelligence assessed that the crown prince himself approved the operation, although he has denied the accusation.
Thursday's ruling comes a week after a Turkish prosecutor called for the nearly two-year trial to be halted and moved to Saudi Arabia because the suspects' arrest warrants could not be executed and their statements could not be taken. .
What we know about the case of journalist Jamal Khashoggi: a Saudi diplomat is one of the suspects
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is trying to mend ties with Riyadh.
Hatice Cengiz, the late Khashoggi's fiancee, and her legal team told CNN they would appeal the decision.
They argued that the case would likely fizzle out in Saudi Arabia's opaque court system.
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It's unclear what's next for the 26 suspects.
Saudi Arabia sentenced eight people to between seven and 20 years in prison for Khashoggi's murder in 2020, but Ankara said then that verdict fell short of expectations.
The Turkish court overseeing the case asked Saudi authorities in November for details — which had not named the suspects convicted in Riyadh — so that the defendants would not be punished twice for the same crime.
The Turkish prosecutor said Saudi authorities responded by asking for the case to be transferred to them.
Riyadh has promised to assess the charges against the 26 defendants if the case moves, the prosecutor said.
USA: Khashoggi assassination approved by Saudi prince 3:33
Khashoggi's murder and subsequent indictments have strained ties between Turkey and Saudi Arabia, including a boycott of Turkish goods, which has cut Ankara's exports to the kingdom by 90%.
Erdogan now seeks to improve ties with states that had become bitter rivals in recent years, such as Egypt, Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
Israeli and Emirati leaders have visited Ankara in recent months, but progress with Cairo and Riyadh has been slower.
Erdogan said last month that he hoped to take "concrete steps" with Saudi Arabia soon.
Reuters collaborated with the information.
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