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WORLD NEWS Wednesday 10 July 2019

Saudi princess tried in absentia for alleged Paris beating

By NICOLAS VAUX-MON- “dog who doesn’t deserve “There are 20 or 30 witness-
TAGNY to live.” Bint Salman, who es inside the apartment
Associated Press is the older half-sister of who can testify that at no
PARIS (AP) — The only Crown Prince Mohammed time was (the workman)
daughter of Saudi Arabia’s bin Salman, has denied touched,” he said, adding
King Salman was put on the allegations through her that breaking Eid’s phone
trial in absentia Tuesday in lawyer. was “the biggest mistake.”
Paris for allegedly ordering The French-Egyptian “It deprives us showing that
her bodyguard to strike a plumber, Ashraf Eid, told this gentleman took videos
plumber she suspected of Paris police after the Sep- intentionally,” Saidi said.
taking photos and video tember 2016 incident that Bint Salman left France days
at the Saudi royal family’s the bodyguard tied him after the Sept. 26, 2016 inci-
apartment in the French up at the princess’ bidding dent and a warrant for her
capital. after he photographed a arrest was issued in Decem-
Prosecutors allege Princess room to help in returning ber 2017. She was not pres-
Hessa bint Salman became furniture to its original lay- ent in court Tuesday.
enraged when she saw the out once he finished his Yassine Bouzrou the Lawyer of the bodyguard of Saudi Princess The princess is being tried
plumber allegedly captur- work. Hassa bint Salman speaks to the media at courthouse in Paris, for alleged theft of a tele-
ing her image, fearing the “The princess noticed that France, Tuesday, July 9, 2019. phone, complicity in vol-
pictures could be used to her face was reflected in Associated Press untary violence and com-
harm her as the Saudi mon- the bathroom and that di princess’ feet while his nies being physically ag- plicity in sequestration,
arch’s daughter due to her she had been filmed. She hands were bound behind gressive, but said it’s widely according to a French ju-
country’s conservative tra- called me a dog and his back. The plumber did known no one is supposed dicial official who was not
ditions. called her bodyguard say- not attend court Tuesday. to photograph the princess authorized to speak pub-
The presiding judge, quot- ing in Arabic, ‘This one, Saida is being tried togeth- and alleged Eid “knew very licly and asked to remain
ing from prosecution evi- take his phone. He filmed er with the princess. He de- well what he had done.” anonymous.q
dence, said on the trial’s me,’” Eid reported to po-
opening day that the lice investigators.
princess allegedly told her Eid said bodyguard Rani
bodyguard to disparage Saida broke his phone and
the workman, calling him a also made him kiss the Sau-
Putin says he opposes trade

restrictions against Georgia

Police block a street as demonstrators gather in front of the
Georgian parliament building in Tbilisi, Georgia, Monday, July
8, 2019.
Associated Press
Associated Press
MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tues-
day took a step toward cooling tensions with Georgia,
rejecting calls for trade restrictions.
Relations between the two neighbors dipped to a new
low last month following violent protests in the Georgian
capital sparked by a Russian lawmaker’s appearance at
the country’s parliament.
Putin promptly banned direct flights between the two
countries, citing security concerns for Russian holiday-
makers. Tensions escalated further on Sunday when a
host on Georgia’s independent Rustavi 2 television sta-
tion unleashed a stream of profanities about Putin and his
parents in a live broadcast.q