Saudi Court Overturns Sentences in Murder of Jamal Khashoggi

Relatives of slain reporter pan move as a 'farce'

Saudi Arabia’s murder of reporter Jamal Khashoggi continues to loom large in its international standing, with news today that the unnamed culprits of the murder have seen their death sentences overturned, and replaced with much shorter terms.

The Saudi kingdom has mostly shrugged off the murder, though the international community had called for justice against the kill team involved, and a look into the involvement of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Removing the death sentences led to a quick backlash, with Khashoggi’s fiance calling it a “farce.” The UN special rapporteur called the ruling, and the lack of transparency involved, a “parody of justice.” Saudi officials, by contrast, declared the case closed “forever.”

That’s likely wishful thinking, as international outrage has yet to subside surrounding Khashoggi’s murder, and the Saudis will likely continue to face resistance in arms sales and other international measures for some time to come.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.