Saudi Arabia sentences five to death for murder of Jamal Khashoggi – By Bethan McKernan and agencies (The Guardian) / Dec 23 2019
Former royal adviser Saud al-Qahtani was investigated but released without being charged
Five men have been sentenced to death and another three face 24 years in prison for their roles in the gruesome murder of the dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last year, the Saudi public prosecutor’s office has said.
All 11 people on trial were found guilty of the killing, which triggered the kingdom’s biggest diplomatic crisis since the 9/11 attacks as world leaders and business executives sought to distance themselves from Riyadh.
However, Saudi state television also reported the Saudi attorney general’s investigation showed that the crown prince Mohammed bin Salman’s former top adviser, Saud al-Qahtani, had no proven involvement in the killing, after being investigated and released without charge.
Al-Qahtani has been sanctioned by the US for his alleged role in the operation.
The court also ruled that the Saudi consul-general in Istanbul at the time, Mohammed al-Otaibi, was not guilty. He was released from prison after the verdicts were announced.
Continue to article: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/dec/23/saudi-arabia-sentences-five-to-death-for-of-jamal-khashoggi
