France has welcomed Saudi Arabia's indictment of 11 suspects in the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul last month, calling it a "step in the right direction.”
In a statement, the French foreign ministry spokeswoman, Agnes Von der Muhll, said on Thursday: "We will continue to study developments in the case closely."
Meanwhile, Turkey continued to politicize the case, saying the suspects should be handed over to Ankara to prosecute them, although the crime was committed in the Saudi consulate, which under international law is considered Saudi soil.
Also Thursday, the United States placed economic sanctions on 17 Saudis in Khashoggi’s case, including those accused of involvement in his murder.
These individuals “must face consequences for their actions," said Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.
