French court convicts Saudi princess for ordering bodyguard to beat workman

• French court convicts daughter of Saudi King for ordering bodyguard to beat up workman in her apartment.
• Hassa bint Salman given a 10-month suspended prison sentence.
• Sister of MBS also been fined $11,000 by French court.

A French court has convicted the daughter of Saudi Arabia’s King Salman, Hassa bint Salman for ordering her bodyguard to detain and beat a workman in Paris.

The court has also given the Princess a 10-month suspended prison sentence. Hassa bint Salman who was not in court for the verdict, was fined 10,000 euros ($11,000). However, prosecutors had sought a six-month suspended sentence and a fine of 5,000 euros ($5,480).

The princess was tried in absentia following an arrest warrant issued in December 2017. Since the trial started in July, earlier this year, Hassa bint Salman had not appeared for the hearing, as reported by international media. Her bodyguard Rani Saidi, was handed an eight-month suspended sentence and a 5,000-euro fine with the recommendation of prosecutors.

In September 2016, the sister of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) was accused of instructing her bodyguard Saidi to beat up Ashraf Eid, after he was seen taking pictures inside her home.