Reuters
Riyadh, Jan 6: Saudi authorities have detained 11 princes after they gathered at a royal palace in Riyadh in a rare protest against austerity measures that included suspending payment of their utility bills, Saudi media reported Saturday.
Saudi officials did not respond immediately to a request for a comment on the report. Saudi Arabia, the world’s top oil exporter, has introduced reforms that included cutting subsidies, introducing 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 195 billion riyals in 2018. Online news website sabq.org said 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 were also demanding compensation for a death sentence issued against a relative, Sabq.org said. “They were informed of the error of their demands, but they refused to leave Qasr al-Hokm,” Sabq 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.”
