Cengiz v. bin Salman: osservazioni sull’immunità personale del Principe saudita nell’omicidio di Jamal Khashoggi

On December 2022, a US federal district court dismissed claims against Mohammad bin Salman arising from the murder of journalist and human rights activist Jamal Khashoggi. This study addresses the main arguments leading to the dismissal of the case, in particular the issue of immunity of the defendant. Indeed, when the claims were filed, bin Salman was Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia: however, he was subsequently appointed Prime Minister. This paper therefore intends to analyze the rules on immunity in international law, to assess whether they have been correctly interpreted by the district judge and the position of Prime Minister does entitle Mohammed bin Salman to status-based immunity under international law, as the US State Department recognized, and the federal court adjudged.