In November 2017, amid a sweeping anti-corruption purge in Saudi Arabia, businessman Rami Naimi was detained in circumstances that have since provoked international concern and highlighted questions about the nature and scope of the crackdown initiated by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The purge targeted numerous princes, senior officials, and prominent businessmen, many of whom were held at Riyadh’s Ritz-Carlton hotel, which was effectively transformed into a detention center.

Rami Naimi, the son of Ali al-Naimi, Saudi Arabia’s former oil minister and a significant figure in global energy, was seized shortly after arriving at Dubai airport. Unlike other high-profile detainees, Rami was not a royal or public official but ran a business facilitating the sale of specialized technology to Saudi Arabia. His wife, Mira Lozi, recalls a nerve-wracking period when she could not reach him for three weeks following his disappearance. Eventually, Rami was able to make brief and monitored phone calls during his detention.

According to Mira, Rami was initially detained in the United Arab Emirates, where he was held at a government facility before being flown to Riyadh. Once at the Ritz-Carlton, he described a regime of coercion and torture—including waterboarding, electrocution, and beatings—and detailed how detainees were interrogated about their assets, sometimes in a designated “torture zone” within the hotel. He was reportedly subjected to intense pressure to sign settlement agreements worth hundreds of millions of dollars to secure his release. Ultimately, Rami signed a settlement demanding payment equivalent to approximately $266 million Saudi riyals, a figure he contested as exceeding his wealth.

The Saudi government has denied allegations of torture, maintaining that detainees had access to legal counsel and medical care. However, human rights organizations have called for investigations, arguing that the detentions appeared to deviate from recognized legal procedures and functioned more as extrajudicial extortion than anti-corruption enforcement.

After his release from the hotel in early 2018, Rami was placed under electronic monitoring and travel restrictions at his father’s residence in Dhahran. Despite complying with the terms of his release, Rami was detained again in September 2022 under unclear circumstances, leading to a nearly 18-month period during which his whereabouts were unknown to his family, prompting them to seek assistance from international organizations including the European Union and the United Nations.

In July 2024, it was revealed through United Nations channels that Rami had been held in Saudi Arabia’s maximum-security prison, al-Ha’ir. During this time, he reportedly endured harsh conditions, including solitary confinement, constant artificial lighting, and psychological pressure. Legal proceedings commenced in early 2025 with allegations including failure to disclose conflicts of interest related to a 2010 business deal and an outstanding payment from the earlier settlement. Rami pleaded not guilty and challenged the charges, but in November 2025 he was convicted and sentenced to six years in prison; an appeal was rejected in May 2026. Additional accusations against him include attempted flight from Saudi Arabia and following social media accounts deemed hostile to the state.

Mira, who lives in London with their children, has been vocal about the impact of Rami’s detention on their family and questions the motivations behind his prolonged prosecution. She suggests the situation reflects a broader pattern of pressure focused less on anti-corruption and more on extracting funds tied indirectly to his father’s legacy. Despite international engagement, challenges remain in securing clemency or consistent communication, with Saudi authorities reportedly questioning the validity of her marriage to Rami and urging her to visit Saudi Arabia—a request she fears due to the risk of detainment.

The case illustrates the complexity of Saudi Arabia’s anti-corruption campaign launched under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in late 2017, which was initially presented as a crackdown on corruption among elites but has since drawn criticism over its opaque legal practices and treatment of detainees. While some Saudis have welcomed efforts to root out corruption, others, including rights groups, warn that the campaign has also served as a tool for consolidating power and silencing dissent. The Saudi government has declined to comment on specific cases, including Rami Naimi’s, and the status of many detainees from the purge remains uncertain.