Human Rights Watch said that Saudi authorities have arrested Prince Faisal bin Abdullah Al Saud, son of the late King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, since March 27.

She added that the authorities arrested him in incommunicado detention, as they refused to reveal his whereabouts or his status, according to a family source who spoke to Human Rights Watch.

The family of Prince Faisal bin Abdullah also expressed concern about his health status as he suffers from heart disease.

The organization stated that Prince Faisal's detention is "the latest arbitrary detention of prominent Saudis, outside any recognized legal procedure."

She explained that despite the waves of criticism, the illegal behavior of Saudi Arabia continues to be de facto since Prince Muhammad bin Salman took over the reign of the Covenant.

Prince Faisal bin Abdullah was arrested by Saudi authorities in November 2017, and detained with more than 300 prominent businessmen, members of the royal family, and current and former officials at the Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh.

The organization's report says that the authorities pressured these detainees "to surrender financial assets in exchange for their release, and also outside any clear or recognized legal procedures."

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Prince Faisal was released in late December 2017 after he agreed to hand over the assets, and the organization adds that the basis for his current detention is unclear.

Human Rights Watch quoted a source close to the family as saying that the authorities imposed an arbitrary travel ban on Prince Faisal after his release on December 29, 2017.

He added that on March 27, 2020, security forces came to a family compound northeast of Riyadh, where Prince Faisal was in a self-quarantine ward due to the Corona virus, and detained him without revealing the reasons.

The source said that the family members have been unable to know anything about the location of Prince Faisal or its status since then, which could constitute a forced disappearance.

The arrests since 2017 have targeted a number of groups of Saudi society, including preachers, intellectuals, human rights activists, businessmen, and members of the royal family, including the sons of the late King Abdullah.

Among the sons of King Abdullah arrested in November 2017 are the former ruler of Mecca, Prince Mishaal bin Abdullah, the former Minister of National Guard Prince Miteb bin Abdullah, and the former governor of Riyadh, Prince Turki bin Abdullah. Prince Turki is still detained without charge.

A report by the New York Times in March 2018 stated that 17 people needed hospitalization due to ill-treatment by the Saudi authorities in the Ritz-Carlton in 2017, and that Major General Ali al-Qahtani, assistant to Prince Turki, died in custody later.