May 6, 2018

Saudi Arabia has detained thousands of people for up to a decade without trial, Human Rights Watch said Sunday, slamming the country's powerful crown prince for the "arbitrary detentions".

Official data from the interior ministry, analysed by HRW, showed that authorities had detained 2,305 people for more than six months -- some for over a decade -- without referring them to court.

The ultraconservative kingdom, an absolute monarchy, has introduced a string of reform in past months, spearheaded by the country's unchallenged Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, dubbed "MBS", who was appointed heir to the throne in Ju

ne 2017.

Yet arbitrary detention appears to have "increased dramatically in recent years", according to HRW. The group urged authorities to "stop holding people arbitrarily".