Kim Jong-nam death: Two women charged with murder

Doan Thi Huong (left) and Siti Aisyah (right) arrived at court wearing bullet-proof vests

Two women accused of killing Kim Jong-nam, the estranged half-brother of North Korea's leader, have been charged with his murder.

The women, Doan Thi Huong from Vietnam and Siti Aisyah from Indonesia, allegedly smeared deadly VX nerve agent on Mr Kim's face in Kuala Lumpur airport on 13 February.

Kim Jong-nam had lived outside North Korea for many years

They appeared in court near Malaysia's capital, protected by special forces. They could face the death penalty if convicted of murder.

Doan Thi Huong (left) and Siti Aisyah (right) have said they thought they were taking part in a TV prank

No plea was recorded in the magistrates' court as only higher courts have jurisdiction over murder cases. But after the charge was read out, Doan Thi Huong said "I understand but I am not guilty," in English.

Doan Thi Huong's Facebook page

It is widely believed that North Korea was responsible for the attack, which it fiercely denies. Kim Jong-nam, was openly critical of the North Korean regime.

• Who in North Korea could organise a VX murder?
• What is South Korea's take on the killing?
• Unravelling the mystery of Kim Jong-nam's death

They will appear again on 13 April, when prosecutors will apply for them to be tried jointly in a higher court. The charges were read first against Ms Aisyah, then against Ms Huong, both of whom were in handcuffs.

Siti Aisyah's lawyer Gooi Soon Seng asked the court to issue an order banning the police and potential witnesses from making statements that might endanger his client's right to a fair trial.

Both women have previously said they were paid to take part in what they thought was a TV prank.
Kim Jong-nam, 42, was at a check-in desk for a flight to Macau, where he lives, when he was accosted.
His face was smeared with the toxic nerve agent VX - an internationally banned chemical weapon - and he died within 15-20 minutes, Malaysia's health minister said on Sunday.

North Korea has not confirmed that the person killed was Kim Jong-nam, as he was travelling under a different name. Pyongyang has only said that he was a North Korean travelling on a diplomatic passport. The country also opposed Malaysia conducting an autopsy.

A high-level delegation from North Korea, including the country's former deputy ambassador to the UN, Ri Tong-il, arrived in the Malaysian capital on Tuesday.

They said they wanted to claim the body and were seeking the release of North Korean suspect Ri Jong Chol.