- Saudi Princess Basmah bint Saud has been freed after spending nearly three years in jail.
- The princess was on her way to Switzerland to seek medical treatment when she was stopped by police.
- Although it is not clear why she was taken into custody, her family believes that it was because of her outspokenness.
Saudi Princess Basmah bint Saud bin Abdulaziz al-Saud was released from jail after spending three years in a high-security facility, a human-rights organization said on Saturday.
“Basma bint Saud Al Saud and her daughter Suhoud, detained since March 2019, have been released,”A tweet from ALSQT for Human Rights (a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting Saudi Arabian human rights) appears below.
—ALQST for Human Rights (@ALQST_En) January 8, 2022
Insider reached out to representatives of the Saudi Embassy in Washington, DC, and the Saudi Ministry of Communications and Information Technology.
The princess, aged 57, was taken into custody along with her daughter in early 2019. They were on their way from the United States to seek treatment for an unknown condition. Henri Estrament was a legal advisor to royals who spoke with him. Princess Basmah, her daughter, and the accused were not charged with any crime. The New York TimesSunday
Before her arrest, Princess Basmah reportedly wanted to travel abroad for treatment. “accused of trying to forge a passport,”According to a relative, the following was said at the time Reuters.
The reason why the princess was held is still unknown, but her family speculates that it could be due to her outspokenness about humanitarian issues. BBC. Her family sent a letter to United Nations 2020 arguing that she was not worthy of protection. “record as an outspoken critic of abuses”The detention was likely motivated by this. Insider has previously learned that her family believes her detention was an attempt by her to stop her claiming a portion of the multi-billion dollar inheritance her father, King Saud, left her.
Princess Basmah was held in al-Ha’ir Prison and took to Twitter in order to plead with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for her release in May 2020.
After the tweets, the Princess was banned from contacting her family. Insider previously heard that a close associate of Saudi royal was also concerned. Insider reported that her last contact with her family was May 2021, when she called Ahmed al-Sharif (a business associate of the princess) from prison. Insider sources claim that Princess Basmah mentioned a will in the conversation but was unable to get into details before the call was cut.
ALQST for Human Rights tweeted that she was “denied the medical care she needed for a potentially life-threatening condition”While you are in jail. “At no point during her detention has any charge been levelled against her,”The group was expanded.
Estrament told the Times that it was unclear whether Princess Basmah would be permitted to travel internationally to receive medical treatment.
“We are pleased that the royal court and M.B.S. [Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman] acquiesced to release them both,” Estramant said. “It is a good sign as the country continues its process to develop the rule of law.”