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11 princes arrested for sit-in against paying bills

The princes were detained after gathering outside a palace in Riyadh on Thursday 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.

"A group of 11 princes staged a sit in at the historic Qasr Al-Hokm palace on Thursday... objecting a recent royal order that halted payments by the state to members of the royal family to cover their electricity and water utility bills," Mojeb said in a statement issued by the information ministry.

"Despite being informed that their demands are not lawful, the 11 princes refused to leave the area, disrupting public peace and order," Mojeb said.

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The 11 have been charged on "a number of counts" and are being held at the maximum security Al-Hayer prison, south of Riyadh, according to the statement.

The news comes amid a string of austerity measures implemented by the government, as Saudi Arabia pushes to diversify its oil-dependent economy amid massive budget deficits triggered by the 2014 drop in global oil prices.

The measures have been linked to rising tension within the royal Al-Saud family which counts thousands of members -- only a handful of whom wield direct influence over the kingdom.

The economic overhaul has been linked to the arrest of more than 200 princes in an anti-corruption purge in November spearheaded by powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the king's son and heir to the throne.

Most of those detained were held at the palatial Ritz-Carlton hotel in Riyadh, which has turned into a luxury prison. Some have since reached settlements with the government.

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On January 1, Saudi Arabia imposed a five percent value-added tax on most goods and services, ending its decades-long tax-free policy.

King Salman on Saturday announced a string of benefits for Saudi citizens, particularly military personnel and public servants, to "soften the impact of the economic reforms".

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