Riyadh’s Ritz-Carlton Hotel reopened on Sunday, more than three months after it was converted into a gilded prison for members of Saudi Arabia’s business and political elite detained in an anti-corruption purge. A handful of smart-suited businessmen, forced to decamp to other hotels since November, returned to the Ritz on Sunday. Ten days before the purge began, the Ritz hosted an international business conference where Prince Mohammed spoke onstage and snapped selfies with admirers. They are believed to have been moved to prison after refusing to admit wrongdoing and may end up in court. Ahmed al-Safer, a Yemeni-American businessman who regularly stays at the Ritz, stopped in on Sunday to have tea with friends.

Source: Egypt Independent February 11, 2018 09:11 UTC