The sentence of five members of the cell that killed the journalist, who criticized the regime in Riyadh, was commuted to 20 years in prison • Hashukaji was murdered at the Saudi embassy in Istanbul
Saudi journalist Jamal Khushkji // Photo: AFP
A Saudi court has overturned the death sentence handed down to five of the eight convicted of killing Saudi journalist Jamal Khushkji.
The eight, whose identities were not released by the Saudi authorities, received sentences ranging from 7 to 20 years in prison.
Khushkji, a senior Saudi journalist who has become a critic of the heir to the throne, Muhammad bin Salman, has moved to Turkey and published articles in the Washington Post criticizing Ben Salman and his reforms.
He was murdered about two years ago when he arrived at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to renew his passport.
Turkish intelligence that was listening to what was happening at the consulate published the suspicions and photos from surveillance cameras placed in the consulate area and documented, among other things, the rendering attempts.
Western intelligence agencies, including the US CIA, have determined that the assassination was carried out at the behest of the Saudi regent, which led to damage to his international status and his boycott by many countries.
As part of his efforts to appease his critics, it was decided to prosecute the eight.
At the end of last year five were sentenced to death but now their sentence has been commuted to 20 years in prison.