Saudi Arabia has detained 11 princes after they protested a royal palace in Riyadh against austerity measures that included suspending payment of their utility bills, according to reports in Saudi media on Saturday.
It would be recalled that Saudi Arabia, the world’s biggest oil exporter, has introduced reforms that included cutting subsidies, 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 $52bn in 2018.
An online news portal says that the princes had gathered at the Qasr a-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.
They also demanded compensation for a death sentence issued against a relative, the website reported said.
“They were informed of the error of their demands, but they refused to leave Qasr al-Hokm,” the website said, quoting unidentified sources.
“A royal order was issued to the royal guards … to intervene and they were detained and put into al-Hayer prison in preparation to put them on trial.”
Saudi Arabia last year rounded up dozens of royal family members, current and former senior officials in a crackdown on corruption that has also strengthened the power of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MbS).
They were held at the five-star Ritz Hotel in the capital Riyadh while government officials negotiated financial settlements.
Saudi Arabia has aggressively changed its economy recently. On 1 January, the country changed the status of its national oil giant Aramco to a joint-stock company as part of a key step for an initial public offering of shares planned for later this year.
Last month, Saudi Arabia said its economy contracted for the first time in eight years due to austerity measures as it announced record spending to stimulate growth.
The post Saudi Arabia Detains 11 Princes Over Protests appeared first on Independent Nigeria.
Saudi Arabia Detains 11 Princes Over Protests
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