The family of journalist Jamal Khashoggi has declared “forgiveness” for his killers, extending pardons to the accused, who faced execution in Saudi Arabia, as Muslims gear to celebrate the end of the holy month of Ramadan.
One of the Washington Post columnist’s two sons, Salah Khashoggi, announced amnesty for the murderers in a statement posted to Twitter on Thursday. Five men were sentenced to death in the case last year in a Saudi court, while three others were given 24 years in prison for their role in the murder plot.
Under Saudi law, which is heavily influenced by Islamic legal traditions, the families of murder victims have the option to grant clemency to perpetrators, often in exchange for a monetary payment known as “diyah.” Some convicts are spared without an exchange of money, however, and it’s unclear whether the Khashoggi family has requested any compensation.
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