A source close to the family of Basma bint Saud, a Saudi princess arrested since 2019, revealed that Princess bint Saud is in danger of death, revealing her critical condition in the country’s prison.
“Princess Basma bint Saud is in dire need of medical care,” the source told Middle East Eye.
He said: Concerns about the physical condition of the detained Saudi princess, who was previously denied medical assistance, are growing.
The source continued: Since May 2020, when the King and Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia were asked on Twitter to release her from a notorious prison, contacts and connections between the family of Princess Basma, the businessman and the granddaughter of Abdul Aziz bin Saud, the founder of Saudi Arabia, were cut off.
He added: We cannot call or talk to Princess Basma, but we know that she needs serious medical help.
The details of the Saudi princess’ illness are not clear, but according to Henry Stramant, a friend and legal adviser to Basma’s family, she underwent surgery shortly before her arrest.
Stramant said: Basmeh, who was first arrested in April 2019, was denied medical and drug services. She was treated for heart disease in Switzerland for five years or more but received no medical support in prison.
According to published reports, Basma was arrested from her home in Jeddah in March 2019 and imprisoned along with her daughter Sohud al-Sharif.
Basma became known as an outspoken member of the Saudi royal family after she asked Riyadh to approve a constitutional ruler.
She also criticized the Board for Enjoining the Good and Forbidding the Evil, and spoke about women’s and human rights issues, including the Saudi-led Arab League war against Yemen.
Basma has spoken only once since her arrest last Ramadan and demanded her release from bin Salman.
In a series of tweets, she announced her brutal detention in Riyadh’s Al-Ha’ir prison and the deterioration of her physical condition.
While Basma’s charges have not yet been announced, and Stramant attributes Basma’s detention to calls for reforms in Saudi Arabia, Riyadh has denied the allegations.
This source close to Basmeh family emphasized: The lack of accurate information about Basmeh’s charges and his lack of contact with her has made it difficult to defend her and try to secure her release. We have been working for her release for the past two years in various departments.
Now, two years after her arrest, Basma’s family has called on the administration of US President Joe Biden to step in and put pressure on Riyadh to release Basma.
A State Department spokesman told Middle East I: The Biden administration was aware of the case and cited it in its latest human rights report released in March.
In a letter to the President of the Council of Europe, Stramant also asked him to look into the case of Basma and her daughter.