Saudi Crown Prince Shocks Kingdom with Arrests over Corruption
6 November 2017 07:14 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Riyadh - Saudi Arabia`s heir to the throne is overseeing an unprecedented wave of arrests of dozens of the country`s most powerful princes, military officers, influential businessmen and government ministers. Some of them are potential rivals or critics of the crown prince, whose purported anti-corruption sweep sent shockwaves across the kingdom Sunday as he further consolidated power.
Among those taken into custody overnight Saturday were billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, one of the world's richest men with extensive holdings in Western companies, as well as two of the late King Abdullah's sons.
The arrest of senior princes upends a longstanding tradition among the ruling Al Saud family to keep their disagreements private in an effort to show strength and unity in the face of Saudi Arabia's many tribes and factions. It also sends a message that the crown prince has the full backing of his father, King Salman, to carry out sweeping anti-corruption reforms targeting senior royals and their business associates, who have long been seen as operating above the law.
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Saudi Arabia's attorney general says an anti-corruption sweep is treating its suspects with "the same rights and treatment as any other Saudi citizen."
Sheikh Saud al-Mojeb did not acknowledge the arrests or name any suspects, but The Associated Press has reported that billionaire Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal and other senior royals, military officers, businessmen, and ex-ministers have been detained and are being held in five-star hotels across the capital, Riyadh.
Al-Mojeb stressed that all parties are considered innocent until proven guilty and "retain full legal privileges relating to their personal and private property, including funds." However, he says a suspect's position or status will "not influence the fair application of justice."
The attorney general said Sunday the newly-formed anti-corruption committee headed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is conducting investigations to ensure transparency and good governance.
The statement did not specify further what alleged crimes had been committed.
The Ritz Carlton hotel chain says it is "evaluating the situation" at its hotel in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, after reports it is being used to house some of those detained in a wave of arrests of princes and former government officials.
Ritz Carlton spokeswoman Sarah Walker-Kerr declined to discuss Sunday what was happening at the hotel.
Some of the 11 princes and 38 former government ministers, deputies and businessmen arrested in Saudi Arabia are reportedly being held at the hotel. Phone lines to the hotel have been cut off since Sunday morning.
A Saudi security official earlier told The Associated Press that the detainees are being held in five-star hotels across Riyadh as part of an anti-corruption sweep.
The arrests have cemented the hold on power for King Salman and his 32-year-old son, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
AP
