A U.S. judge on Tuesday dismissed a lawsuit against Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman over the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Judge John Bates spoke of his "uneasiness" over the decision but said he had to follow the U.S. Justice Department's recent recommendation that the Crown Prince should be given immunity.

Bate's unease was due not only to "credible allegations" of the prince's involvement in Khashoggi's murder, the judge wrote, but also to the timing of his appointment as prime minister of Saudi Arabia.

The case was brought by Khashoggi's fiancee, Hatice Cengiz, who has accused U.S. President Joe Biden of saving the "murderer" and "criminal" Mohammed bin Salman by granting him immunity.

Mohammed has been blamed by U.S. intelligence for ordering the murder of Khashoggi. The crown prince denies having authorized the crime.

The murder led to the crown prince being largely isolated internationally, including by Germany.