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Saudi prince sacked for giving a different version of recent arrests

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Saudi prince sacked for giving a different version of recent arrests

Authorities in Saudi Arabia have sacked Prince Abdullah bin Saud who was appointed president of the Saudi Marine Sports Federation back in October for giving a different version of the recent arrests of 11 princes in Riyadh.

Reports say the prince was sacked after he released an audio recording that contradicted the Saudi authorities’ version of the arrest but the prince has stressed that the recording, which was released on Monday, was his own personal initiative.

“Because I am close to the events, I want to clarify an important point,” Abdullah bin Saud said in the recording. “These young men are the finest youth of our country, and there is no way that they can object to the orders of the rulers.”

He went on to say that the princes were slapped with “false and illogical” accusations of caring too much about “money and the pleasures of the world”.

Read also: SAUDI ARABIA: 11 princes, 4 ministers, others, docked for corruption

“They had arrived at the palace to accompany their relative who was called to be asked about his previous job,” Abdullah bin Saud said. “Upon arrival, he was let in but they were prevented from entering with him, and a brief physical fight with the guards occurred.”

However, the official version given by the government was that the princes were arrested by an elite force called the Blood-rusted Sword directly linked to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, after protesting austerity measures in front of a royal palace.

Yet Saudi activists on social media said the rally staged by the arrested princes was an objection to a campaign of arrests targeting royals and the absence of former Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef.

Last month, an 80-year-old Palestinian billionaire businessman Sabih al-Masri was detained in Saudi Arabia where he was questioned over information relating to corruption.

The founder of Zara Investment Holding and chairman of Arab Bank was reportedly arrested and detained while on a business trip to Riyadh in the on-going anti-corruption purge launched by Prince Salman.

 

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