French Prosecutors Seek Suspended Prison Sentence for Saudi Princess

Date: 10 July 2019 - 21:10

News ID: ۶۷۹۵۳

PARIS (Dispatches) – French prosecutors said on Tuesday they were pushing for a six-month suspended prison sentence for the king of Saudi Arabia’s daughter, as she went on trial in absentia in a case involving the beating of a workman in her luxury flat in Paris.
Princess Hassa bint Salman is being tried on charges of complicity to violence with a weapon and complicity to kidnap an Egyptian-born artisan who was carrying out repairs at her father’s residence on the exclusive Avenue Foch in September 2016.
According to the indictment, seen by Reuters, workman Ashraf Eid told police the princess’ bodyguard bound his hands, punched and kicked him and forced him to kiss the princess’ feet after she accused him of filming her on his cell phone.
The French prosecutor in the case asked that the bodyguard receive an eight-month suspended prison sentence, and that both he and the princess pay a 5,000 euro ($5,602) fine.
The princess, the sister of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has denied any wrongdoing. An international arrest warrant against her was issued in November 2017.
The Saudi royal family has faced legal problems in France before.
In 2013, a court in France ordered the French assets of Saudi Princess Maha al-Sudairi, wife of former Interior Minister Prince Nayef bin Abdul Aziz, to be seized over unpaid bills at a luxury hotel totaling almost 6.7 million dollars.