By Mishal Al-Otaibi
RIYADH — The Specialized Criminal Court in Riyadh has issued a preliminary verdict sentencing to death 15 out of 32 people accused of spying for Iran.
The court sentenced 15 others to prison terms ranging from six months to 25 years, and acquitted two.
The suspects, comprising 30 Saudis, one Iranian and an Afghan, were detained in late 2014 and early 2015 on charges of spying for Iran.
The sentencing came after a 10-month trial and 160 hearings.
They were accused of forming a cell to spy for Iran and to liaise with Iranian intelligence forces to undermine the Kingdom’s security and stability.
Other charges include attempts to carry out acts of sabotage against economic interests and vital installations in Saudi Arabia, to undermine social peace and public order, to spread chaos, to incite sectarian strife, and to carry out hostile acts against the Kingdom.
The suspects also faced accusations of high treason of their country and the King, and attempting to recruit people working in state agencies to commit acts of espionage for the Iranian intelligence service.
According to the charges, most suspects had traveled to Iran and Lebanon where they were trained in espionage techniques including drafting coded messages. Some of the suspects had hacked computers to obtain sensitive information related to the internal and external security and the national economy of Saudi Arabia.
The suspects are also accused of meeting Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei.
Others charges included supporting violence in Saudi Arabia, possessing weapons, forging documents and accepting bribes.
Among those arrested were a university professor, a pediatrician, a banker and two clerics.
