Two Saudi princes accused of corruption charges get freed from detention

Riyadh: Two sons of late King Abdullah; Prince Meshaal bin Abdullah and Prince Faisal bin Abdullah, who were accused of corruption charges, are reportedly freed by Saudi Arabia’s attorney general. The two princes were among around 200 other royal family members, government ministers and businessmen who were detained, since November after Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman led an “anti-corruption purge”. A senior Saudi official told Reuters, that the two were released from Riyadh’s Ritz-Carlton hotel after they agreed with government’s financial settlements. However, the decision on Prince Turki bin Abdullah has not yet settled, the source said. Saudi newspaper Okaz on December 26 had reported that around two dozen other people were released earlier this week. Detainees who have not reached agreements with the government are yet to face trial, the report said. The kingdom wants to channelise seized funds into economic development projects, a Saudi minister had said earlier this month. Another senior Saudi prince and former head of the National Guard, Miteb bin Abdullah, was reportedly released last month after agreeing to a $1bn settlement with government. Miteb is another son of late King Abdullah and a cousin of Crown Prince Salman. Source: Siasat.com