The United Nations and Western countries have responded to the new Saudi version of the circumstances of the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi by calling for a real trial of those involved in the crime.
Hours after the statement, which was presented by the Saudi Public Prosecution on Thursday at a press conference in Riyadh, the United Nations called for bringing all those involved in the crime to justice.
"It is clear that the international organization is continuing to follow the case closely and has confirmed that the organization has not yet received a request to open an international investigation," UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan's spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in response to a question about the Saudi prosecutor's office's findings.
A spokesman for the Saudi Public Prosecution presented the results of the Saudi investigation and said a Saudi team had gone to Istanbul in an attempt to persuade Khashoggi to return to the kingdom, but the process evolved from a "quarrel" with him to his death and dismemberment.
Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubair later denied the involvement of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the operation, rejecting Turkey's request for an international investigation.
In London, the British government, commenting on the Saudi statement itself, said it wanted to see those responsible for Khashoggi's appalling killing inside his consulate in Istanbul.
The government said in a statement that it expects the investigation to proceed according to international legal standards.
In the same context, France demanded Saudi authorities to be transparent in the investigation into the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
A real trial
In a statement, the French Foreign Ministry called for clear delineation of responsibilities, trial of those found guilty of Khashoggi's murder and being held accountable in a real trial.
In a related context, Canadian Foreign Minister Christia Freeland welcomed the sanctions announced Thursday by the US Treasury Department on 17 Saudi individuals following Khashoggi's assassination, and said Ottawa was considering similar measures.
In turn, Amnesty International said that the Saudi Public Prosecutor's Office has demanded the death penalty for five suspects in the Khashoggi death case following investigations that the organization described as shameful.
In a tweet on Twitter, Amnesty called for a credible investigation to establish facts and ensure accountability for fair trials.
The organization welcomed Turkey's call for an international investigation into Khashoggi's murder, calling on Ankara to request a UN inquiry into Khashoggi's killing immediately.