A protester holds a picture of Saudi Journalist Jamal Khashoggi during a demonstration organized by Turkish-Arabic Media Association in front of the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul, Turkey on October 5. Photo: IC

 

China supports the judgment made by Saudi Arabia's Riyadh Criminal Court on Monday as "according to law" over the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, and the case was Saudi Arabia's domestic affair, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.

"We believe that the case can be handled properly under the country's judicial framework," Ministry of ­Foreign Affairs spokesperson Geng ­Shuang said during Wednesday's routine press conference in response to a question on the jurisdiction of Khashoggi's case.

"The case should not be politicized and internationalized," Geng added. 

Saudi Arabia on Monday sentenced five people to death and three more to jail. Saudi dissident writer Khashoggi was murdered in October last year in Saudi Arabia's consulate in Istanbul, Turkey. The three sentenced to prison were given sentences totaling 24 years "for their role in covering up this crime and violating the law." 

Saudi Deputy Public Prosecutor and spokesman Shalaan al-Shalaan said the court dismissed charges against the remaining three of the 11 people that had been on trial, finding them not guilty, Reuters reported. 

Khashoggi was a Washington Post columnist with US residency. He was last seen at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2, 2018, and his body was reportedly dismembered and removed from the building, and his remains have not been found.