RIYADH: The Special Criminal Court said Tuesday that it will not prevent the media from attending court proceedings. The court was responding to a request of one of the indicted members of the Iranian spy cell not to bar the media from covering the event.

The court rejected the request of one of the alleged spies to provide him with a copy of the confessions of the defendant for submission to his lawyer. The judge said a regulatory provision prohibits such provisions, but noted that the suspect's representative and lawyer may review the documents inside the court.

These issues were clarified during the 10th session of the court proceedings to consider the charges against 32 people accused of spying for Iran. The 19th defendant attended the court session without preparing his defense and demanded the postponing of the proceedings until the next session.

He appealed to the judge to allow the media to attend the court session, not to search his lawyer when entering the court and to allow the admission of their cell phones.

The judge assured him that the media will not be prevented from attending, but added that the cell phones are not allowed in the court room either for the accused or their lawyers.