Amnesty International: Saudi Curt Ruling in Khashoggi Case Cover up for Crime

Lynn Maalouf, director of research for the Middle East at Amnesty International, said, in response to a death sentence issued by a Saudi court against 5 people, and imprisoning three others, for the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, this verdict is a cover-up of the crime and does not bring justice.

Maalouf added that the trial was closed, including to independent monitors, with no information available on how to conduct the investigation.

“The ruling failed to address the involvement of the Saudi authorities in this horrific crime, or to reveal the whereabouts of the remains of Jamal Khashoggi”, she said.

Amnesty International’s Director of Middle East Research noted that Saudi courts routinely prevent defendants from contacting lawyers, and sentence people to death after grossly unfair trials.

Given the lack of transparency by the Saudi authorities, and in the absence of an independent judiciary, Maalouf said, “Justice for Jamal Khashoggi can only be done with an independent and impartial international investigation.”