Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Suffers Heart Attack in Detention

The family of Saudi Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud, who has been held with his son Salman for more than six years without trial, has expressed grave concerns about his health following a heart attack, according to Agence France-Presse.

Sources close to the prince’s family told France-Presse on Tuesday that Prince Abdulaziz suffered the heart attack last Friday and was taken to the hospital for treatment before being returned to his detention location in a private villa in Riyadh under heavy guard, without any medical assistance provided inside the villa.

It is noteworthy that Saudi authorities have detained Prince Abdulaziz and his son since January 2018 without formal charges or trial. After being held for a year in Al-Ha’ir Prison, they were transferred to a private villa in March 2019, and then to a secret detention site in March 2020, where they remained for three years. Recently, the authorities moved them back to a private villa in Riyadh. Sources close to the family confirmed to France-Presse that the current detention conditions have negatively impacted Prince Abdulaziz’s health, heightening the family’s concerns about his condition.

In February 2022, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention issued a decision declaring the detention of Prince Abdulaziz and his son arbitrary and a blatant violation of human rights. SANAD Organisation for Human Rights is calling for their immediate release, necessary medical care, and a fair trial if there are any charges against them.