On May 22, 2020, Salah KHASHOGGI the son of murdered Saudi journalist Jamal KHASHOGGI wrote a statement on Twitter forgiving his father’s killers.

He said his family pardons those who took the reporter’s life in 2018 in Saudi Arabia’s consulate in Istanbul.

Five people were sentenced to death for his murder and three others received jail terms for participating in the crime.

Saudi officials have said the killing was part of a “rogue operation.”

“In this blessed night of the blessed month (of Ramadan) we remember God’s saying: If a person forgives and makes reconciliation, his reward is due from Allah”.

“Therefore, we the sons of the Martyr Jamal KHASHOGGI announce that we pardon those who killed our father, seeking reward God almighty”.

KHASHOGGI was last seen at the Saudi consulate where he had gone to get the necessary documents for his wedding with his fiancé Hatice CENGIZ. His body was dismembered and removed from the building and his remains have not been found.

Prior to his death, KHASHOGGI was living in the US and writing for The Washington Post newspaper.

Acts of forgiveness are common during the last 10 days of Ramadan and under Islamic law, death sentences can be commuted in cases where the victim’s family offers a pardon.

Analysts say that the family’s forgiveness effectively grants clemency to five unnamed convicted people on death row, including two top aides of de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin SALMAN.

Ali SHIHABI, an analyst close to the Saudi government said on Twitter: “What this essentially means is that the killers will avoid capital punishment since that is a right the family (under sharia law) has to forgive”. “Other legal procedures by the state continue”.

The murder of KHASHOGGI caused global uproar and tarnished the crown prince’s reputation.

CIA and some European governments maintain that the Prince Mohammed bin SALMAN had ordered the killing but he vehemently denies the involvement.

Saudi authorities did not immediately comment on the legal implications of the forgiveness from Salah KHASHOGGI.

The Washington Post reported last year that KHASHOGGI’s children, including Salah, who resides in the kingdom, had received multimillion-dollar homes and were being paid thousands of dollars per month by Saudi authorities but he rejected reports of a financial settlement with the Saudi government.

Salah KHASHOGGI had said of the December verdict that “it has been fair to us and that justice has been achieved”.

This article was edited using the data from the Aljazeera.com, Aa.com.tr.com, Dw.com, and Thenational.ae.

Source of the photo: www.aljazeera.com.