Saudi Arabia sentences eight involved in Jamal Khashoggi's murder to imprisonment

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia's criminal court on Monday ordered the imprisonment of eight people — between seven and 20 years — involved in the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, the Saudi Gazette reported.

Five defendants were sentenced to 20-year jail terms each, two were slapped with seven years of imprisonment, and one was awarded 10 years of imprisonment, the publication said citing a public prosecutor.

None of the defendants were named.

The deceased journalist's sons had forgiven the killers, giving way for the five killers' death sentences to be overturned and converted into imprisonment.

Khashoggi, a 59-year-old critic of the crown prince, was strangled and his body cut into pieces by a 15-man Saudi squad inside the consulate, according to Turkish officials.

Saudi Arabia has described the murder as a 'rogue' operation, but both the CIA and a UN special envoy have directly linked Prince Mohammad Bin Salman Al Saud to the killing, a charge the kingdom vehemently denies, The Guardian   said.