Saudi Arabia sentences five to death for murder of Jamal Khashoggi

Former royal adviser Saud al-Qahtani was investigated but released without being charged

Five men have been sentenced to death and another three face a total of 24 years in prison for their roles in the gruesome murder of the dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last year, the Saudi public prosecutor's office has said.

Eight of the 11 people on trial were found guilty of the killing, which triggered the kingdom's biggest diplomatic crisis since the 9/11 attacks as world leaders and business executives sought to distance themselves from Riyadh.