Saudi Arabia says five facing death penalty in Khashoggi killing
Published:Thursday | January 3, 2019 | 9:21 AM
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Saudi Arabia announced on Thursday it will seek the death penalty against five suspects in the slaying of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, a killing that has seen members of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s entourage implicated in the writer’s assassination.
Prosecutors announced that 11 suspects in the slaying attended their first court hearing with lawyers, but the statement did not name those in court.
It also did not explain why seven other suspects arrested over the October 2 killing at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul did not immediately face formal charges.
The kingdom previously announced 18 people had been arrested.
Saudi officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The killing of Khashoggi, who wrote columns critical of Prince Mohammed, has strained the decades-long ties the kingdom enjoys with the United States.
It also has added to a renewed international push to end the Saudi-led war in Yemen.
The state-run Saudi Press Agency and state television gave few details about the hearing.
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