RIYADH — Saudi Arabia has stymied those who were trying to blackmail the Kingdom by announcing the results of preliminary investigations into the case of Jamal Khashoggi, who died following a brawl with a number of suspects at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

With great transparency shown by the Kingdom in its internal investigations, Saudi Arabia showed that it was working fairly and justly with the subsequent relieving of senior officials in the General Intelligence and the formation of a ministerial committee headed by Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, deputy premier and minister of defense, and a number of ministers to restructure the General Intelligence Presidency and update its regulations.

The Kingdom has asserted that justice is not absent and that everyone is equal and accountable. The Public Prosecutor’s Office is still investigating 18 detainees in the case in order to ascertain all the facts before holding them accountable and bringing all those involved in this case to justice.

An official source at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the directives and decisions ordered by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, following the regrettable and painful incident of Khashoggi’s death, came as an extension of the state’s commitment to consolidating the foundations of justice in accordance with our tolerant religion and holding all those involved accountable no matter who while dealing decisively and comprehensively with any mistakes or failures, particularly concerning any citizens.

The source added, these measures reflect the leadership’s keenness on the safety and security of all citizens, its determination not just to hold the suspects and officials accountable, but also to include upgraded measures for a safer future.

Earlier, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Egypt on Saturday backed Saudi Arabia’s directives following the announcement of the death of Khashoggi.

The UAE “commends directives and decisions of King Salman on the Khashoggi case,” WAM said on Twitter.

In a WAM statement that followed, UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan commended King Salman “for his great efforts and keenness to explore the truth in this matter and calling for fair, legal accountability.”

The WAM statement added: “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, represented by its leadership, was and still is a state of institutions based on justice and fairness. The royal decisions and actions taken after the investigation in this case reaffirm these values and established principles to ensure the implementation of law and justice.”

In an official statement, Bahrain praised the “directives and decisions of the Saudi King” and said “Saudi Arabia remains a state of justice, principles and morals.”

Egypt praised the “decisive” and “brave” actions taken by King Salman in the investigation.

“Egypt sees that the brave and decisive decisions and actions taken by the King over this matter align with his majesty’s approach that respects the principles of law and applications of effective justice,” the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

It also offered its condolences to Khashoggi’s family and said it was confident the investigation would reveal the truth.

Yemen too on Saturday praised decisions made by King Salman in relation to the death of Khashoggi, according to the government’s state news agency.

The Saudi public prosecutor said on Friday that an investigation showed that Khashoggi’s death was a result of a physical altercation at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul two weeks ago.

There are now 18 suspects, all of Saudi nationality, currently in custody and accused of attempting to cover up the death. — Agencies