Saudi princes arrested for sit-in protest over utility bills

Riyadh

ELEVEN Saudi princes face trial after their arrest at a sit-in protesting having to pay their utility bills, authorities said on Sunday, as the monarchy pursues reforms amid hefty debt and high unemployment.

Saudi Arabia's attorney general said "no one is above the law" after the princes were detained outside a palace in Riyadh, where they had gathered last week to demonstrate against a government decision to stop paying the water and electricity bills of royals. They also demanded compensation for a death sentence issued against one of their cousins, convicted of murder and executed in 2016, attorney general Saud al-Mojeb said.