Basma bint Saud Al Saud, Saudi Princess, and her daughter have been released Thursday from custody after being detained since March 2019, for close to three years.
The outspoken advocate for humanitarian aid and constitutional reform in Saudi Arabia was taken into custody with her daughter Souhoud Al Sharif.
Since then, the two have been held at the maximum-security Al-Ha’ir prison near Riyadh, although neither were formally charged with any crime.
“The two ladies were released from their arbitrary imprisonment and arrived at their home in Jeddah on Thursday, Jan. 6, 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,” her legal advisor Henri Estramant told the Jerusalem Post.
He did not mention the reason the two were released and the motivation and timing of the Saudi government remain unclear.
Following her release, rights group ALQST for Human Rights said: “She was denied the medical care she needed for a potentially life-threatening condition. At no point during her detention has any charge been levelled against her.”
The Princess is the daughter of Saudi Arabia’s King Saud, who ruled the country from 1953-64.
(With inputs from agencies)
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