Saudi Court Issues Verdicts in Jamal Khashoggi's Killing, Pardons Some Convicts

Strategic Insights -

Saudi Arabia's Riyadh Criminal Court has issued final verdicts in the case of slain Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, after his son announced pardons that spared five of the convicted individuals from execution. The verdicts come as the trial continues to cast a shadow over the international standing of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whose associates have been sanctioned by the U.S. and the U.K. for their alleged involvement in the killing. The case has raised questions about the independence of the Riyadh Criminal Court and the ability of Saudi Arabia to deliver justice in the case.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Riyadh Criminal Court ordered a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for five Saudi nationals involved in Khashoggi's killing.
  • Another individual received a 10-year sentence, and two others were ordered to serve seven years in prison.
  • The court verdicts were announced by Saudi Arabia's state television, which aired few details about the eight Saudi nationals and did not name them.
  • Turkish officials allege Khashoggi was killed and then dismembered with a bone saw inside the consulate, with his body still missing.
  • Western intelligence agencies and the U.S. Congress have said the crown prince bears ultimate responsibility for the killing and that an operation of this magnitude could not have happened without his knowledge.
  • Saudi Arabia's trial of the suspects has been widely criticized by rights groups and observers, who note that no senior officials nor anyone suspected of ordering the killing has been found guilty.
  • The independence of the Riyadh Criminal Court has been questioned, with UN special rapporteur Agnes Callamard saying the crown prince has remained "well protected against any kind of meaningful scrutiny in his country".

Statistics:

  • The eight Saudi nationals convicted in the case were accused of various crimes, including murder, in connection with Khashoggi's killing.
  • The five individuals who were pardoned received life sentences, while the other three received prison terms ranging from 7 to 20 years.
  • Jamal Khashoggi was 59 years old when he was killed on October 2, 2018, inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul.

Sources:

  • The Associated Press
  • Agnes Callamard, UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions