Sanaa Appeals Court grants defense final opportunity in “spying cell” case

SANAA, Dec. 29 (YPA) – The Specialized Criminal Appeals Division in Sanaa, presided over by Judge Abdullah Al-Najjar, continued its hearings on Monday in the high-profile “enemy intelligence collaboration” case.

The trial involves 21 defendants accused of forming an espionage cell linked to US, Israeli, and Saudi intelligence services operating from a command center in Riyadh.

During the session, the court heard testimonies from defense witnesses regarding the defendants’ conduct and examined oral arguments challenging the material evidence. The defense team specifically requested the presentation of seized electronic devices for forensic review, as these devices formed the basis of the initial trial court’s verdict, which sentenced 17 defendants to death and two others to ten years in prison.

In response, the Prosecution maintained that the existing evidence and previous records were sufficient, reiterating its motion to close the case for final judgment.

The proceedings also addressed the recent release of two defendants—one on medical grounds and another following an initial acquittal.

Concluding the session, the court granted the defense a final opportunity to submit any remaining evidence and present the physical exhibits for review, while officially reserving the case of one defendant for sentencing in the upcoming session.

YPA