Motivation Behind New Arrests in Saudi Arabia; Fighting Corruption or Consolidating Power?
Four senior Saudi officials and two princes have been dismissed on charges of “financial corruption” and “suspicious financial activities” in the Ministry of Defense. The real reason for these dismissals remains unclear. Critics of Mohammad bin Salman view these measures with skepticism.
Arrests of members of the Saudi royal family and their removal from key positions in recent years have not been a rare phenomenon.
Now the Saudi government has announced that on the orders of King Salman, the country’s monarch, six senior officials have been dismissed from their positions. Two of them are members of the Saudi royal family.
The Associated Press reported on Tuesday, September 1st (September 11 in the Iranian calendar) from Dubai about the new dismissals in the Saudi government.
Among these individuals are Prince Fahd bin Turki, commander of Saudi forces in Yemen, and his son, Prince Abdulaziz bin Fahd, deputy governor of the Jouf Province.
Prince Fahd bin Turki assumed command of Saudi forces in the Yemen war in February 2018. This was while the Yemen war began in 2015 at the initiative of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman.
The leadership of Saudi Arabia’s military coalition in Yemen was handed to Fahd bin Turki in circumstances where Sana’a remained under the control of Houthi rebels.
Prince Fahd bin Turki had previously held key positions in the Saudi Royal Army. He was among those overseeing the Royal Infantry Division.
Financial Corruption or Consolidating Power
Although the order dismissing these six individuals was issued by King Salman, there is no doubt that these measures are being carried out by Mohammad bin Salman.
Mohammad bin Salman, the 35-year-old Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia who effectively controls the country’s affairs, has repeatedly stated that fighting corruption is among his priorities in governing the country.
The dismissal of these two princes and four other senior officials of the country was based on charges of financial corruption and “suspicious financial activities observed in the Ministry of Defense.”
Associated Press emphasized in its report that no further explanation regarding these “suspicious financial activities” has been made available to the media. The report also stated that it is unclear whether these individuals have been arrested or if lawyers have been appointed for them.
In Saudi Arabia’s statement regarding the dismissal of these individuals, it said that investigations into this case will continue with the participation of government and military officials, and necessary measures will be taken after the results of these investigations become clear.
The news agency wrote in its report that critics of Mohammad bin Salman doubt the validity of the charges against these individuals and view these measures as his efforts to eliminate rivals and consolidate his own power.
It is worth recalling that Mohammad bin Salman, after taking control of the country, took similar measures using the pretext of fighting corruption.
In 2017, on the orders of Mohammad bin Salman, the luxurious Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Riyadh was converted into a prison, and a number of high-ranking officials and members of the royal family were detained in this hotel for several weeks.
Source: DW
