Saudi is ‘paying large monthly sums to Khashoggi’s children’

bdmetronews Desk॥ The children of the murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi have reportedly received luxurious houses and large monthly payments from the Saudi government as compensation for their father’s death.

The payments to Khashoggi’s four children are part of an effort by the Saudi government to discourage them from criticising the kingdom or Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi Crown Prince, over their father’s murder, according to the Washington Post.

Khashoggi’s two sons and two daughters were all given houses in the coastal of Jeddah worth around $4 million (£3 million) each and are receiving monthly payments of $10,000 or more.

The children may be in line for even larger payouts after the trial of some of Khashoggi’s suspected killers. Saudi Arabia retains a culture of “blood money” payments where the families of convicted killers make payments to the families of victims.

Saudi officials denied that the houses or payments were designed to buy the Khashoggis’ silence and said that it was a normal practice for the kingdom to support any citizens who had been through a tragedy.

Khashoggi’s children have been restrained in their public comments and none have directly accused Crown Prince Mohammed of orchestrating their father’s killing, a suspicion held by the CIA and a number of US senators. Saudi Arabia strongly denies that the Crown Prince was involved in the killing.

Salah Khashoggi, the journalist’s son, was summoned to the royal palace last year and the government released photographs of him meeting with both King Salman and the Crown Prince.

The family declined to comment on the payments. Saudi Arabia has put 11 people on trial for Khashoggi’s murder but the proceedings are taking place in a secret court and it remains unclear who the defendants are and what charges they are facing.

Prosecutors have asked for the death penalty for five of the suspects.

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