Saudi regime says seeking death penalty for Khashoggi murder suspects

Saudi Arabia says it has held an initial hearing into the murder case of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi, with the public prosecutor requesting the death penalty for five of the suspects.

The state-run Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported that at the court session, which was held in Riyadh on Thursday, the prosecutor demanded that “proper punishments” be imposed against the 11 defendants and that “capital punishment” sentences be handed to five of them over their direct involvement in the killing.

“During the initial hearing of the case, the defendants requested a copy of the indictment and additional time to respond. The defendants’ request was approved according to the Law of Criminal Procedures. Meanwhile, the Public Prosecutor continues to investigate the case with the rest of the individuals in custody in relation to this crime,” the public prosecutor said in a statement.

The suspects’ lawyers were also present at the trial, it added.

It also noted that Riyadh had sent two letters to the Turkish public prosecutor demanding further evidence in the case, but had so far received no response.

This is while Turkey has released to media audio recordings of the moment Khashoggi — an outspoken critic of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman — was brutally murdered by a Saudi team inside the kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul on October 2.

Turkish media have also published photographs of members of bin Salman’s entourage at the consulate before the assassination.

Ankara has called on Saudi Arabia to extradite the suspects for them to stand trial in Istanbul, a request rejected by Riyadh. It complains about a lack of Riyadh cooperation in the investigation into the case.

Turkey has also said it may seek a formal United Nations inquiry into Khashoggi’s murder case if its dealings with Riyadh came to an impasse.

Video: Saudi agents ‘carrying Khashoggi remains in bags’

Turkish media have released a new video, which shows members of a Saudi hit squad carrying bags reportedly containing the remains of murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

After weeks of denials of any involvement in Khashoggi’s disappearance, the Riyadh regime eventually acknowledged the “premeditated” murder, but has vehemently sought to distance the heir to the throne from the case.

A Saudi prosecutor has said that Khashoggi’s body was dismembered and removed from the diplomatic mission.

The CIA is said to have concluded that bin Salman had “probably ordered” the murder.