The Court of Cassation is slated to hear appeals Thursday filed by notorious businessman Hisham Talaat Mustafa and former police officer Mohsen el-Sokkary. The defendants were both slapped with death penalties last year at the hands of a criminal court for the 2008 murder of Lebanese pop singer Suzanne Tamim in Dubai.

The presiding judge in the case reportedly requested heavy security for Thursday's session. News agencies, meanwhile, are only allowed to send two correspondents each--whose names had to be submitted to authorities in advance--to cover the session.

According to judicial sources, the defendants themselves will not attend the session, but will be represented by their defense team. The defense team has so far presented the court with 27 reasons why the initial sentence should be rescinded.

In the event that the court rejects the appeals, the two men will face execution. If the appeals are accepted, however, a retrial will be held by a different court.

Translated from the Arabic Edition.