Saudi court sentences five to death in Khashoggi murder case

A Saudi court found at least eight people guilty for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, a killing that strained relations with key allies.

Five people will be executed and another three will be imprisoned for 24 years, according to a statement read out at the public prosecutor’s office in Riyadh on Monday. In total, 11 people stood trial for the killing that took place at the kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul last year.

Saud al-Qahtani, removed from his role as a top adviser to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman after the killing, was interrogated but no evidence was found against him, according to Shalaan Shalaan, the deputy attorney general.

Ahmed Alassiri, a top intelligence official also removed from his position, was found not guilty by the court.

A prominent Saudi journalist and government insider, Khashoggi never considered himself a dissident. But in 2017, Khashoggi fled and settled in the US, penning a series of critical columns for the Washington Post.

Also read: Saudi journalist Khashoggi’s children deny considering settlement over his murder