The National Society for Human Rights (NSHR) has welcomed today's preliminary ruling of the court in the case of Jamal Khashoggi murder; five of the accused will receive the capital punishment (those who committed the crime); three will serve prison sentences of various lengths totaling in all 24 years, for attempting to cover up this crime and violating rules and regulations; three are found not guilty of violating any public or private rights.
In a statement, NSHR Chairman Dr. Mufleh bin RubianAl-Qahtani disclosed that this ruling affirms the Kingdom's stance to this casewhich was clearly, since the beginning, calling for the necessity of revealinga truth and punishing perpetrators.
He affirmed that the society attended the sessions of thistrial, since the beginning, in the Criminal Court in Riyadh, where the numberof those referred to trial reached 11 defendants, including a capitalpunishment for 5 individuals, adding that the parties to the case, includingdefendants, lawyers, public prosecution and plaintiffs of the private right,have a right to present what they had before the closure of the pleading andissuance of the ruling.
Al-Qahtani pointed out that these rulings issued todayaffirmed the keenness of the authorities in light of the directives of theCustodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud on thiscase which decisively sought to hold accountable all those who participated inthis crime in a manner that achieves justice and preserves the rights of therelatives of the victim, stressing that this ruling puts an end against anyonewho tried to use this case to offend the Kingdom's reputation and leadership.
The NSHR Chairman said that the time has come to stop thisorganized campaign that targeted the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as an entity withthe aim of undermining its reputation politically and economically as well asits record of human rights.
The trial sessions were attended by human rights bodies andforeign diplomats. The relatives of the victim attended the session of issuingthe ruling.
