Saudi Arabia, press and the international community were really surprised with the news that Mohammad Bin Nayef is under a travel ban and home detention without due process are bitterly ironic given his role in imposing similar arbitrary restrictions on thousands of Saudis.
Since June 28, 2017, the status of ex-Crown Prince is still unclear, especially to Human Rights Watch. The advocates are asking where is the Crown Prince and why there is no news at all about his daily life and place where he lives after removing from the King Salman’s plans.
King Salman’s order elevated his son, Mohammad bin Salman, to crown prince on June 21, while the authorities subjected Mohammad bin Nayef to house arrest and banned him from travel abroad. According to the report of The New York Times, bin Nayef returned to his palace in Jeddah to find that authorities had replaced his guards with guards loyal to the new crown prince.
Where is Mohammad bin Nayef now?
The status of the former Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia is unclear, one US ex-official cited reports that bin Nayef is confined to his palace, while another US official said that he is barred from leaving the country.
The Human Rights Watch asked in the official letter what the real status of ex-Crown Price and clarify the legal basis for the restrictions. HRW believes that the Interior Ministry has broken Saudi law in imposing travel ban in the case with bin Nayef. Moreover, the extended detention without charge or trial or without an appearance before a judge is arbitrary and violates both Saudi law and international human rights standards.
