Former Saudi security chief sentenced to 25 years on corruption charges

The former head of the Saudi Public Security agency has been handed a 25-year prison sentence over alleged corruption charges, a rights group said earlier this week.

Prisoners of Conscience – which follows news of Saudi prisoners - said on its Twitter page that Lt Gen Khaled bin Qarar Al-Harbi was handed the prison sentence after he was dismissed from his position and arrested in September last year.

🔴 تأكد لنا إصدار حكم بالسجن مدة 25 سنة، ضد مدير الأمن العام السابق، الفريق الأول #خالد_بن_قرار_الحربي، بعد إنهاء خدمته وإحالته إلى التقاعد مع إحالته إلى التحقيق في 7 سبتمبر 2021. pic.twitter.com/UZCm65UW4k

— معتقلي الرأي (@m3takl) December 26, 2022

Saudi authorities have released no statement or clarifications on the rights group’s tweet.

Al-Harbi had served as Public Security director since December 2018.

King Salman bin Abdulaziz issued a royal decree in September last year relieving him from his post and referring him for investigation on corruption charges, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) had reported.

The accusations, according to SPA, include "seizing public money for personal benefit... forgery, bribery and abuse of power."

The decree had stipulated that "the Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority shall complete the investigation procedures with everyone involved in this [case], and take the necessary legal measures against them."

Saudi authorities have detained senior royals, activists, intellectuals and clerics. Saudi officials deny there are any political prisoners in the kingdom.