This archive report was first published on 23 December 2019.
On December 23, 2019, the Saudi judiciary delivered a verdict in the high-profile case of Jamal Khashoggi's murder, which took place on October 2, 2018, at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
Salah Khashoggi, Jamal's son, expressed his confidence in the Saudi judiciary, stating on Twitter, "Fairness of the judiciary is based on two principles, justice and swift litigation." He also welcomed the verdict, saying, "Today, justice was served to children of... Jamal Khashoggi. We affirm our confidence in the Saudi judiciary at all levels."
However, the verdict has been met with skepticism by some, who question the fairness of the judicial process. The operation that led to Khashoggi's murder involved 15 agents sent from Riyadh, according to Ankara. His remains were never found.
Of the 11 individuals indicted in the case, five were sentenced to death, three face jail terms totaling 24 years, and the others were acquitted, the public prosecutor announced.
Salah Khashoggi has previously expressed his confidence in the judicial system and criticized opponents who he said were seeking to exploit the case. However, he denied discussing a financial settlement with the Saudi government, despite reports that his family had received multimillion-dollar homes and were being paid thousands of dollars per month by authorities.
The CIA and a UN special envoy have directly linked de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the murder, a charge the kingdom denies.
