Saudi Arabia starts trial of suspects in Khashoggi murder

A Saudi court launched the trial on Thursday of 11 men charged with involvement in the murder of dissident journalist, Jamal Khashoggi three months ago, the kingdom’s chief prosecutor said. ,Khashoggi a sharp critic of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was killed on Oct. 2 after he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, a […]

A Saudi court launched the trial on Thursday of 11 men charged with involvement in the murder of dissident journalist, Jamal Khashoggi three months ago, the kingdom’s chief prosecutor said.

,Khashoggi a sharp critic of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was killed on Oct. 2 after he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, a case that has triggered global condemnation.

 Topprosecutor Saud al-Mojeb said in a statement that the 11 defendants, all Saudi nationals, appeared at the court in the capital Riyadh for the first hearing in the trial.

 Thestatement said they included five defendants for whom prosecutors had demanded the death penalty for their role in Khashoggi’s murder, without disclosing names.

 Thebill of indictment against the accused was read out at the procedural session.

Accordingto the statement, the defendants who are in custody asked for time to examine the charges levelled against them.

However, no date has been set for the next hearing.

 Saudiofficials have repeatedly denied reports that Prince Mohammed was linked to Khashoggi’s murder.