Saudi Princess Basmah bint Saud Al Saud has been sentenced to nine years in prison, while her daughter, Suhoud Al Sharif, has been sentenced to seven years, Oryx Observer can confirm.

The sentences were handed down under Articles 30 and 43 of Saudi Arabia’s Anti-Terrorism Law, according to information obtained and verified by Oryx Observer.

Basmah is serving her sentence at Al-Ha’ir political prison, according to information available to Oryx Observer. She holds a Saudi diplomatic passport and has been described by Saudi authorities as a terrorist in connection with the case.

Basmah, a granddaughter of the late King Abdulaziz, was detained alongside her daughter in Jeddah in March 2019. The pair were subsequently held at Al-Ha’ir prison, in a case that has attracted international concern and scrutiny from human-rights organisations.

At the time of their detention, reports said Basmah had been preparing to travel abroad for medical treatment. The circumstances surrounding the detention and the lack of publicly available information about judicial proceedings subsequently prompted questions from rights groups.

The latest sentences bring a new development to a case that has remained largely opaque since the pair were detained more than seven years ago.

Oryx Observer understands that the nine-year sentence imposed on Basmah and the seven-year sentence imposed on Suhoud are being enforced under the Saudi Anti-Terrorism Law.