Saudi Arabia Court Overturns Death Sentences for 5 Convicted in Jamal Khashoggi Murder

Saudi Arabia's court has overturned the death sentences previously handed down to five individuals convicted in the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. This was reported by the BBC News Telegram channel.

It is important to recall that the Saudi prosecutor's office announced back on December 23, 2019, that the country's court had sentenced five people to death for the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, which occurred in the autumn of 2018 in Istanbul. Three more defendants, according to the Saudi Attorney General, received long-term prison sentences.

Saudi Arabia's close ally and adviser, Saud al-Qahatani, who was suspected of being the principal organizer of Khashoggi's murder, has been released. “The investigation concluded that al-Qahatani had no connection to the murder,” the prosecutor stated.

According to one of the theories, Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was strangled while attempting to escape from the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, after which his body was handed over to a local individual to dispose of the evidence. In contrast, the official narrative from the kingdom claims that on October 2, Khashoggi got into a scuffle with the individuals who greeted him at the consulate, during which he was killed. Reports also mentioned 18 arrests and two dismissals.