A senior Argentinian prosecutor is to launch a case against Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia over war crimes committed by the country's military in Yemen.
The decision comes as the Crown Prince arrived in Buenos Aires to attend the G20 summit and follows a petition by Human Rights Watch urging action.
The case will start with an Argentinian judge requesting information from Saudi and Yemeni authorities regarding the war crimes committed and will likely lead to a formal investigation.
However, the case is unlikely to lead to an actual prosecution as under Argentinian law and the Geneva convention, as Prince Salman enjoys diplomatic immunity.
Speaking on this issue executive director of Human Right Watch’s Middle East and North Africa Division, Whitson, told the Independent, "the Argentine judiciary, by taking steps towards a formal investigation, is sending a clear message that even powerful officials like Mohammed bin Salaman are not above the law and will be scrutinised if implicated in grave international crimes."
The prosecution case also follows the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul, which has been connected to Saudi’s inner circle.
We need your support
Sri Lanka is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a journalist. Tamil journalists are particularly at threat, with at least 41 media workers known to have been killed by the Sri Lankan state or its paramilitaries during and after the armed conflict.
Despite the risks, our team on the ground remain committed to providing detailed and accurate reporting of developments in the Tamil homeland, across the island and around the world, as well as providing expert analysis and insight from the Tamil point of view
We need your support in keeping our journalism going. Support our work today.
For more ways to donate visit https://donate.tamilguardian.com.
