Known as an outspoken critic of the Kingdom's governance and social mores, Basmah nonetheless enjoyed high status and regard as the daughter of a former king. At some point, however, she seems to have crossed a line. On February 28, 2019 she was taken from her seafront penthouse in Jiddah by a group of agents who awaited her in the building's lobby, shortly before she and her daughter Shuhud were scheduled to fly to Switzerland for urgent medical care. Her specially equipped private plane, rented for $87,000 from Redstar Aviation, never took off; instead, Basmah, on pretext of being summoned to a meeting with the crown prince, was detained "on suspicion of trying to flee the country". She was also accused of procuring a fake passport.
Since then, Basmah and her daughter have been held at the maximum security al-Ha'ir prison (normally reserved for the worst terrorist offenders), with no contact with family members, only being able to connect with her son Ahmad in May of this year. Her health is thought to be in jeopardy. Basmah suffers from several serious illnesses, including colonic and heart issues as well as osteoporosis, and claims she is being denied her medication as well as proper medical attention. In April of 2020, she used her verified Twitter account (posted by her royal office on her behalf), to send a plea for mercy to the king and crown prince. "Release me as I have done no wrong," Basmah tweeted. "I am currently being arbitrarily held at al-Ha'ir prison without criminal, or otherwise any charges against my person." She continued, "My health is deteriorating to an extent that is severe, and that could lead to my death. I have not received medical care, and my current health status is VERY critical."
The family has pressed US State Department officials to use their leverage to pressure the Saudis, but have been frustrated both by the former administration's lack of concern and the Kingdom's current refusal to assist. Those involved with the case on the American side believe it may be connected to her close friendship with Muhammad bin Nayif (known as MbN), the former Saudi crown prince who was ousted and replaced by his cousin Muhammad (commonly referred to as MbS), in June 2017. MbN was a favorite to become king after the current monarch, Salman, and was well-liked by Western countries due in large part to his past work with foreign intelligence agencies. After he was stripped of all his governing powers, however, he has not only suffered the loss of his assets and benefits but has been held incommunicado, under house arrest. Furthermore, a social media campaign recently gained traction, accusing him of plotting a coup, as well as smearing his reputation with malicious stories of his drug addiction.
The crown prince has dealt harshly with any and all threats to his hold on power, lending plausibility to the argument that Basmah's detention is connected with her rights advocacy, and her ties to those now suffering punishment at his behest. But there is another aspect, one which looks to be a common thread among all those detained, or formerly arrested and released, and relates to her financial affairs. Basmah's immediate family believes her imprisonment is nothing but a crude attempt to disrupt her efforts to pursue a multi-billion dollar inheritance left by her father, the late King Saud. Apparently Basmah has been trying to secure support from the broader family to unfreeze the rights to bank accounts, land, jewelry, and properties, all part of a wide range of assets promised her. As an example, the site of Ta'if University is in theory built on land entitled to Basmah, and while the family does not oppose the university, it wants compensation. However, in a long-running dispute, a number of royals have united against Basmah's attempts to seize lands she believes rightfully belong to her, and claim that some of the assets have been unfrozen and spent without proper authorization.
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War, Peace and Politics - The Royal Family and Palestine (Part II)
After the death of the first Saudi king, Abd al-Aziz, his son Saud took the throne. Despite taking the Palestinian issue to heart, the new monarch was unable to ever fully comprehend the depth of American support for Israel. In the end, Saud's weak leadership, disinterest, and lack of regional clout frustrated his scattered and unfocused efforts at resolution. |
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War, Peace and Politics - The Royal Family and Palestine (Part I)
The October 7 surprise attack on Israel by Hamas, and the resulting war this precipitated, has exposed the shortcomings of the Abraham Accords. Further, the lack of available arrows in the Saudi diplomatic quiver highlights the failure of decades-long efforts to reach a meaningful consensus on the issue of Palestinian statehood. Yet, starting with the reign of the Kingdom's founder, Abd al-Aziz, solidarity with Palestine and opposition to the Zionist project has been a core tenet of the royal identity. |
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Stage Management: Spectacles, Sidelining And Dissent
Even as the Kingdom takes steps towards cultural liberalization, an intense crackdown on activists and political dissidents continues unabated. Can the attempt to change its international image be reconciled with the extraordinary sentences being handed down by the courts? |
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A Royal in Morocco: The Strange Case of Princess Fahda al-Hithlayn
News of the lavish Moroccan holiday of Fahda, the wife of Saudi King Salman, seems to fly in the face of widespread reports of her supposed captivity on the orders of her own son, the crown prince. Was the sensational allegation by foreign intelligence agencies flawed, or has a family reconciliation taken place? |
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Reform, Crackdown and Succession: Continuity or Disruption?
As the crown prince and de facto regent Muhammad bin Salman presses ahead with an ambitious program of social and structural reforms, it is often assumed that he is pursuing a radically vision than that preferred by his more conservative father, King Salman. A closer look, however, reveals that the two are in fact closely aligned. |