Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sees himself protected from possible criminal prosecution in the United States by being appointed Prime Minister of his country.
After the murder of Saudi government critic and journalist Jamal Khashoggi four years ago, his fiancée Hatice Cengiz filed a lawsuit against bin Salman and others in the United States, accusing them of involvement in the killing of the reporter, who, among other things, was a columnist for the renowned Washington Post” had worked.
In the legal dispute, bin Salman's lawyers now argue in a document that the appointment as prime minister guarantees the crown prince immunity.
The court should therefore dismiss the claim.
Already de facto ruler
A royal decree last week stipulated that Mohammed bin Salman should take over the post of prime minister in Saudi Arabia from his father.
The heir to the throne is already considered the de facto ruler of the oil-rich country.
Although his father, King Salman, is the official head of state, he has already handed over various powers to his son.
American intelligence has accused Mohammed bin Salman of being responsible for the brutal murder of Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul by an assassin four years ago.
Bin Salman himself denies being the mastermind behind the crime.
The murder led to the international isolation of the heir to the throne and plunged many Western countries' relations with Saudi Arabia into a crisis that lasted for years.
The strictly conservative kingdom is also criticized for the human rights situation, despite some reforms.
However, due to the rising oil prices worldwide in the course of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, Western politicians are now again seeking proximity to the Saudi crown prince.