Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Sunday, Jun 01, 2025

A Saudi Arabian Princess Has Been Released After 3 Years in Prison Without Charge

A Saudi Arabian Princess Has Been Released After 3 Years in Prison Without Charge

Basmah bint Saud bin Abdulaziz Al Saud had been critical of the Saudi crown prince's controversial rise to power and of the kingdom's treatment of women
One of the Saudi Arabian royal family's many members has returned home after spending nearly three years in prison — the result of a still-mysterious March 2019 arrest with her daughter, Souhoud Al Sharif.

An adviser for Princess Basmah bint Saud bin Abdulaziz Al Saud confirmed to the Associated Press, The New York Times and other news outlets this week that she and her daughter had been released.

The adviser, Henri Estramant, told The Guardian: "The two ladies were released from their arbitrary imprisonment, and arrived at their home in Jeddah on Thursday 6 January 2022. The princess is doing fine but will be seeking medical expertise. She seems worn out but is in good spirits, and thankful to reunite with her sons in person."

Saudi officials have not commented on the arrest or on the 57-year-old Basmah's release.

The embassy in Washington, D.C., did not respond to PEOPLE's request. Estramant also did not immediately respond to questions.

The princess' arrest was made public via tweets she posted in April 2020, in which she claimed she had been "abducted" and "thrown into prison" along with her daughter.

Those posts were quickly deleted.

Saudi Arabia's ruling royals have engaged in a well-documented crackdown on dissidents and activists in recent years amid a consolidation of power by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, also known as MBS.

Basmah, a princess with little official influence, had been publicly critical of the prince's controversial rise to power and of the kingdom's treatment of women.

In written testimony to the United Nations in 2020, some of her family said they believed her detention was likely due to her being "an outspoken critic of abuses," and worried that the kingdom was trying to "get rid of the princess."

According to The Guardian, Basmah, who is the youngest child of late King Saud bin Abdulaziz, was detained in a prison holding several other political detainees.

A relative told reporters that her detention supposedly came as a result of her being accused of forging a passport, as she was set to leave the country to seek medical treatment in Switzerland for an undisclosed illness.

According to human rights organization ALQST, Basmah was arrested in March 2019 and was not able to contact her family until that April. The organization claims she was also denied medical care and no charge was ever leveled against her during her time in state prison.

The kingdom's most recent former monarch, Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, died in 2015, and bin Salman was named crown prince in 2017 after his father, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, took power.

The prince is widely thought to be the orchestrator of a purge of high-ranking Saudi officials from 2017 through 2019, when a number of prominent princes and government ministers were arrested and confined to the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Riyadh, the capital.

The previous crown prince also gave up his position under disputed circumstances.

The Saudi government under Prince Salman has played down the view that he has acted nefariously and — in the case of the killing of U.S.-based writer Jamal Khashoggi — denied outright any wrongdoing by the prince.

American intelligence officials believe the prince was likely behind Khashoggi's grisly slaying in 2018.

Since coming to power, Prince Salman has built an international reputation as a modernizer, though his critics say he is ruthless and a hoarder of power.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions to Citizens
Lebanon Initiates Plan to Disarm Palestinian Factions
Iran and U.S. Make Limited Progress in Nuclear Talks
The Daily Debate: The Fall of the Dollar — Strategic Reset or Economic Self-Destruction?
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
Saudi-Spanish Business Forum Commences in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia and Spain Sign MoU to Boost SME Sectors
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
A Chinese company made solar tiles that look way nicer than regular panels!
Indian jet shootdown: the all-robot legion behind China’s PL-15E missiles
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
US and UAE Partner to Develop Massive AI Data Center Complex
Apple's $95 Million Siri Settlement: Eligible Users Have Until July 2 to File Claims
US and UAE Reach Preliminary Agreement on Nvidia AI Chip Imports
President Trump and Elon Musk Welcomed by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim with Cybertruck Convoy
Strong Warning Issued: Do Not Use General Chatbots for Medical, Legal, or Educational Guidance
Saudi Arabia Emerges as Global Tech Magnet with U.S. Backing and Trump’s Visit
This was President's departure from Saudi Arabia. The Crown Prince personally escorted him back to the airport.
NVIDIA and Saudi Arabia Launch Strategic Partnership to Establish AI Centers
Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter
Trump takes a blow torch to the neocons and interventionists while speaking to the Saudis
US and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Agreements Across Multiple Sectors
Why Saudi Arabia Rolled Out a Purple Carpet for Donald Trump Instead of Red
Elon Musk Joins Trump Meeting in Saudi Arabia
Trump says it would be 'stupid' not to accept gift of Qatari plane
Quantum Computing Threatens Bitcoin Security
Michael Jordan to Serve as Analyst for NBA Games
×