RIYADH – Saudi Arabia has detained thousands of people for years withouttrial, Human Rights Watch said Sunday, slamming the country’s powerfulcrown prince for the “arbitrary detentions”.
Official data from the interior ministry, analysed by HRW, showed thatauthorities had detained 2,305 people for more than six months withoutreferring them to court.
More than 1,870 had been held for more than a year and 251 for more thanthree years with their cases still “under investigation,” HRW said, citingthe ministry database.
One person has been held for over a decade in what HRW said was a case of“documented arbitrary detention”.
The ultraconservative kingdom, an absolute monarchy, has introduced astring of reform in past months, spearheaded by the country’s unchallengedCrown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, dubbed “MBS”, who was appointed heir tothe throne in June 2017.
Yet arbitrary detention appears to have “increased dramatically in recentyears”, according to HRW. The group urged authorities to “stop holdingpeople arbitrarily”.
“If Saudi authorities can hold a detainee for months on end with nocharges, it’s clear that the Saudi criminal justice system remains brokenand unjust, and it only seems to be getting worse,” said Sarah LeahWhitson, Middle East director for the New York-based rights group.
“It seems that MBS’s Vision 2030 plan better describes the length ofdetentions without charge than an aspirational time horizon for reforms.”
Mohammed bin Salman is the architect of his country’s “Vision 2030” plan, asweeping reform project aimed at weaning Saudi Arabia off of its dependenceon oil and modernising one of the most restrictive countries in the world.
The project includes plans to privatise part of oil giant Aramco and boostthe role of women in the workforce.
Women will be permitted to drive in Saudi Arabia from June.
The kingdom has one of the highest execution rates in the world. – APP/AFP