Saudi princes and millionaires arrested at the Ritz Carlton hotel in Riyadh claim they were victims of “torture”

It was considered the largest anti-corruption action in Saudi Arabia and unprecedented in the kingdom. In November 2017, dozens of princes, millionaires and businessmen were arrested following an operation that took place Saturday night at the Ritz Carlton hotel in Riyadh. In all, around 400 people from the Saudi elite were arrested.

The objectives of the operation were frozen and investigated bank accounts, while their assets passed to the state. The “elimination” order for the mega anti-corruption action came from Mohammed bin Salman, the prince who commands the kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Three years later, some of the most powerful Saudi figures detained at the time revealed the details and their version of what happened the day the anti-corruption brigade invaded the luxury hotel in Riyadh and carried out massive arrests. he said. the newspaper “The Guardian”.

Several detainees, including influential businessmen, told the British newspaper they suffered “torture and coercion”, while Saudi Arabia’s royal advisors faced a chaotic process of trying to understand and evaluate the investments behind. attacks. fortunes of the most influential Saudi families.

Former detainees now claim they were beaten and intimidated by security agents, under the supervision of two Saudi ministers who were Mohammed bin Salman’s trusted men.

Many arrests began with a phone call to arrange a meeting with Prince Mohammed or with King Salman himself. Two businessmen also report that they were contacted to wait for a royal counselor in a hotel room, but who arrived, after all, was a security officer who left them trapped in the room.

“Many of the people were beaten. There were people tied to the walls, in stressful positions, and they had to stay like that for four hours,” a source involved in the trial told the Guardian.

These revelations come shortly before the G20 summit to be held in Riyadh next weekend and, given the circumstances of the pandemic, will take place in webinar format.

Prince Mohammed bin Salman will also have to deal with a new presidency in the United States in January, which will most likely change the rules of the game against the Trump administration and force him to pay more attention to human rights issues.