Saudi Arabia arrests 11 princes over organising an economic protest, says SPA
Saudi Arabian authorities have arrested 11 princes for staging a protest in the country’s capital Riyadh, against the kingdom's austerity measures, according to state media.
The announcement by SPA news agency late on Saturday came hours after Sabq, a Saudi website, said that the 11 princes were detained after gathering at Al Hakem palace to demonstrate against a government decision to make the country’s royalty pay their utility bills, reported Al Jazeera.
Upon arrest, they were sent to a notorious maximum-security facility south of Riyadh in contrast to dozens of other high-profile figures who were detained in a luxury hotel last year during an anti-corruption drive.
“They were arrested after they refused to leave the palace and were put in Al Ha'ir prison in preparation for their trial,” the statement said.
The princes are expected to go on trial.
“The 11 individuals officially were arrested because they were complaining about the fact that they had asked for subsidies for water and electricity, and for some reason they were denied,” said analyst Joseph Kechichian.
“Other reports say that in fact they were cousins of a prince who was executed in October 2016 and that they had come to ask for retribution. It’s very conflicting at this point, we don't know exactly what is going on,” he said.
Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter, has introduced reforms that included cutting subsidies, introducing value added tax (VAT) and cutting perks to royal family members to try to cope with a drop in crude prices that has caused a budget deficit estimated at QR195bn in 2018, reported The Peninsula.
Earlier, online news website sabq.org said the princes had gathered at the Qasr Al Hokm, a historic royal palace, demanding the cancellation of a royal decree that stopped state payment of water and electricity bills for royal family members.
While the identity of the princes were not immediately known, it is understood that the leader of the group had been identified by the initials SAS.
Picture courtesy: The Peninsula
What if Qatar forgo Saudi Arabia and UAE and focus on their development, because what goes around comes around.
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What if Qatar forgo Saudi Arabia and UAE and focus on their development, because what goes around comes around.
I pray to Allah to bless this country (Qatar) more and more.
For whom the heads roll..