Khashoggi family denies financial settlement with gov’t

RIYADH (AA) – The family of murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi has denied any financial settlement with Saudi authorities.

“Currently, the trial is taking place and no settlement discussion had been or is discussed,” the family said in a statement on Twitter on Wednesday.

“The people who committed and were involved in this crime will all be brought to justice and face punishment,” it added.

Last week, The Washington Post said that Saudi Arabia had paid compensations to the family of the renowned journalist, citing that each of his children had been given houses in Jeddah worth as much as $4 million as part of a preliminary financial settlement.

The daily also said that the family members were also receiving monthly payments.

Khashoggi, a contributor to The Washington Post, was killed at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul last October.

After producing various contradictory explanations, Riyadh acknowledged he was killed inside the consulate building, blaming the act on a botched rendition operation.

Turkey has sought the extradition of the Saudi citizens involved in the killing as well as a fuller accounting of the killing from Riyadh.