Sanaa: Court issues death sentences, acquittals in “espionage network” case

SANAA, Jan. 19 (YPA) – The Specialized Criminal Appeals Division in Sanaa upheld on Monday the initial conviction of several individuals accused of spying for “U.S., Israeli, and Saudi” intelligence services, while simultaneously issuing acquittals and sentence reductions for others involved in the case.

In its ruling, the court upheld death sentences for eight convicts, in addition to the prior death sentence issued in absentia against the fugitive Nasser Al-Shaiba. Meanwhile, the court showed some leniency for other defendants, commuting one death sentence to 10 years in prison, ruling that the time already served was sufficient for two others, and sentencing a fourth individual to five years.

Furthermore, the judicial division acquitted five defendants—overturning the prior convictions of three and upholding the innocence of two others—while also clearing two additional suspects of specific charges related to financial assistance.

In terms of pending procedures, the court postponed the final verdict for one defendant and ordered a psychiatric evaluation for another to determine his mental competency.

The case stems from charges of providing “hostile nations” with sensitive military and security information throughout 2024 and 2025. According to the prosecution, this espionage led to the targeting of strategic civilian and military sites, resulting in significant casualties and infrastructure damage.

YPA