Saudi Arabia’s public prosecutor said on Monday five people had been sentenced to death and three more to various jail terms over the last October killing of Saudi journalist, Jamal Khashoggi, in Istanbul, Turkey.
Khashoggi was a United States-based journalist and critic of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom’s de facto ruler.
The journalist was last seen at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2, 2018, where he was to receive papers ahead of his wedding.
His body was reportedly dismembered and removed from the building, and his remains have not been found.
The killing caused a global uproar and tarnished the crown prince’s image.
The CIA and some Western governments have said they believe Prince Mohammed ordered the killing, but Saudi officials said he had no role in the incident.
At least 11 suspects were put on trial over Khashoggi’s death in secretive proceedings in Riyadh.
The Saudi Public Prosecutor, Shalaan al-Shalaan, who read out the preliminary verdict in the trial, said Saud al-Qahtani, a former high-profile Saudi royal adviser, had been investigated but was not charged and was released. (Reuters)
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