lawyer in an interview
“Princess Basmah’s condition deteriorated dramatically”
2/11/2022, 1:13 p.m
Princess Basmah of Saudi Arabia has been an activist for over 30 years. She was one of the few members of the Saudi royal family to call for reforms in her country and rights for women. In March 2019, she was kidnapped in Saudi Arabia and imprisoned in a maximum security prison – there was never an official charge or even a procedure. A month ago: the release. But her health has deteriorated dramatically, says her lawyer Henri Estramant in an exclusive interview with ntv.de. The princess urgently needs treatment abroad, but she is not allowed to leave the country.
ntv.de: Princess Bashmah bint Saud was released a month ago. How is your health at the moment?
Henri Estramant
(Photo: private)
Henri Estramant: Your health had deteriorated dramatically while you were in prison. She has now lost ten kilograms in weight. That was also one of the reasons why she was released. I’ve known the princess for years and she’s actually a very elegant and pretty lady, but when I video chatted with her recently she was almost unrecognizable. We are of course happy that the princess and her daughter are now free, but they are still in a large prison in Saudi Arabia.
What does the Saudi royal family say?
The Saudi government has announced through the United Nations that the princess has been criminally charged. But that wasn’t the case at all. She was never tried and never charged. There was no process or access to legal aid. She was simply locked up in a maximum security prison where only the worst criminals are actually held. This shows how women are treated in Saudi Arabia. Because the men from the royal family, who had been accused of crimes related to corruption, could spend their prison sentences in luxury hotels.
Is there now more evidence of abuse of the princess in custody?
Yes, there are clues. But in my conversation with her, I held back on these questions because she’s still under surveillance. Above all, the princess now strives for reconciliation within her home and to improve her health. She hopes to finally be able to officially represent her country one day after the current crown prince has created more space for women in public life.
But could the princess just leave the country?
No, she may move freely in the country, but not leave the country. The princess was notified three weeks after her release that she would not be allowed to leave the country.
She probably needs urgent medical treatment outside of Saudi Arabia?
She would like to travel to Switzerland to be treated there. She would even accept leaving her children in Saudi Arabia so as not to cause trouble. Although that would be incredibly difficult for her as a mother. Right now, the princess just wants to regain her health, and for that she needs treatment in Switzerland. By the way, this is very common for people from the region and she has been treated by a specialist in Geneva since 2011. There are currently no experts in her home country on the Crohn’s disease she suffers from.
Are there any chances of such a departure?
We’re trying. She has now approached the king and asked for special permission. She would even be willing to accept being escorted by security guards from Saudi Arabia should an escape be suspected. Most recently, two prominent MEPs, Eva Kaili and Maria Arena, campaigned for her urgent medical treatment.
Philipp Sandmann spoke to Henri Estramant