After a trial shrouded in secrecy, where the names of the accused weren’t even released, we are learning five men have been sentenced for the murder of the Washington Post columnist. The newspaper writes, “the two most senior officials implicated in the case, including an adviser to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, were cleared of wrongdoing, the prosecutor said.”
The sentences announced on Monday were preliminary and subject to appeal.
Although no evidence has been made public that directly implicates Prince Mohammed in the killing, an assessment by the Central Intelligence Agency found that he had probably ordered the operation, which included two private jets and more than 15 government agents.
Human right expert Agnes Callamard writes: “Bottom line: the hit-men are guilty, sentenced to death. The masterminds not only walk free. They have barely been touched by the investigation and the trial. That is the antithesis of Justice. It is a mockery.”
When Saudis sentence five to death for Khashoggi's murder, we fear that it is a way to silence them for ever and to conceal the truth. We cannot consider death penalty helps to bring justice. We still expect a full accounting. #Khashoggi #PressFreedom
https://t.co/vWE7uF0OWQ pic.twitter.com/ze4PkxrMPX— Christophe Deloire (@cdeloire) December 23, 2019
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