RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has released 23 of the 200-or-so powerful individuals detained since November on corruption charges after they reached deals with the government, Okaz newspaper reported on Tuesday.
The
report did not name those involved in what appeared to be the first
large-scale release since the royals, business people and government
officials were detained in a crackdown spearheaded by Crown Prince
Mohammed bin Salman.
The suspects have been held at
Riyadh’s luxurious Ritz Carlton hotel since early November and told to
hand over assets and cash in exchange for their freedom.
Okaz
said more detainees would be released in the coming days and trial
proceedings would begin soon for those who continue to deny the charges
against them.
Saudi authorities see the settlements not
as blackmail but as an obligation to reimburse money taken illegally
from the world’s top oil producer over several decades.
Video
posted on social media showed a smiling Saoud al-Daweesh, the former
chief executive of Saudi Telecom, telling well-wishers he had been
treated decently.
“Private Affairs (a unit of the Royal
Court) brought us a full lamb dish day and night. They treated us well
and did a good job,” he said.
Saudi officials did not respond to requests for comment.
Dozens
of princes, officials and businessmen were detained last month, about
200 people questioned, and over 2,000 bank accounts frozen in the
crackdown.
Political analysts say the future king has also tried to tighten his grip on power through the purge.
