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Washington Post responds to Saudi Arabia's Khashoggi death sentences

Jamal Khashoggi
Jamal Khashoggi. Photo: Mohammed Al-Shaikh/AFP via Getty Images

Washington Post publisher Fred Ryan responded Monday to a Saudi Arabian court's decision to sentence five people to death for the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, saying those at the top of the Saudi government "continue to escape responsibility" for the murder.

Why it matters: The Saudi government continues to deny that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had any involvement in the assassination, despite the CIA concluding with "high confidence" last year that he ordered the assassination.

The full statement:

"The complete lack of transparency and the Saudi government's refusal to cooperate with independent investigators suggests that this was a sham trial. Those ultimately responsible, at the highest level of the Saudi government, continue to escape responsibility for the brutal murder of Jamal Khashoggi."

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Jamal Khashoggi