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Saudi Arabia sentences 5 people to death for killing of Jamal Khashoggi

Agents worked for Saudi prince, who denies wrongdoing
Posted at 4:55 AM, Dec 23, 2019
and last updated 2019-12-23 06:55:03-05

A court in Saudi Arabia on Monday sentenced five people to death for the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, who was murdered in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul last year by a team of Saudi agents.

The verdicts were read by Shaalan al-Shaalan, a spokesperson from the attorney general's office, and broadcast on Saudi Arabia's state-run Al-Ekhbariya TV.

No names were given for those found guilty.

Al-Ekhbariya reported that three others were sentenced to prison.

All can appeal the verdicts.

The Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, had drawn international condemnation for the killing because several Saudi agents involved worked directly for him.

The kingdom denies that Prince Mohammed had any involvement or knowledge of the operation.

The killing had shocked the world and drawn condemnation from the international community, including the United Nations.

Khashoggi had walked into his country's consulate in Istanbul on that morning in October 2018 to collect documents that would allow him to wed his Turkish fiancée, Hatice Cengiz, who waited for him outside.

He never walked out.

Khashoggi's body was never found.