The fate of Jamal’s killers

Saudi Arabia has finally admitted dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered, so it will be intriguing to see if that nation’s medieval Islamic laws (Sharia) will be applied to any of the 18 men arrested.

Given they are high-ranking associates of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who seems almost certainly deeply implicated, I’m picking it’s about as likely these men will be meted the normal Saudi punishment for murder, of beheading followed by crucifixion, as it is that Donald Trump will act on this heinous crime.

Saudi Arabia annually conducts about 150 public beheadings, hangings, stonings, amputations and lashings for murder, rape, theft and robbery, but also for apostasy, adultery, witchcraft and sorcery.

There were 345 reported public beheadings between 2007 and 2010 and the BBC reports beheading are up 70 per cent this year on 2017.

There has been growing use of ‘‘diyya’’ – where victims’ families are given the choice of granting clemency in return for a payment of blood money, rather than beheading. One family recently received US$11 million but Saudi officials and religious figures have criticised this trend, saying the practice of diyya has become corrupted. I’m picking diyya or nada, rather than beheading, as ‘‘justice’’ for the king’s son and his mates.

Simon Louisson, Seatoun