Believe it or not 👁️📜😨 | From Abdulaziz to Mohammed bin Salman… The secrets of the Al Saud family...
In this special episode, we delve into one of the most sensitive files in modern Arab history: the file of the Al Saud family, which has ruled Saudi Arabia for over ninety years, managing one of the most important countries politically, religiously, and economically in the Islamic world.
This episode is neither an emotional attack nor a political justification, but rather a powerful analytical reading of the trajectory of governance, the methods of wielding power, the alliances, and the decisions that have shaped the Kingdom's reality both domestically and internationally. From the moment of its founding by King Abdulaziz bin Abdul Rahman Al Saud, the system of governance has been based on absolute power within a family framework, where political, economic, and military decision-making has been concentrated in one hand, without genuine popular participation or independent institutional oversight.
From the outset, the Al Saud family has relied on two fundamental alliances: a religious alliance that grants legitimacy and an international political alliance that provides protection. With the discovery of oil, the Kingdom transformed into a major economic player, but this immense wealth did not translate into an open political system. Instead, it reinforced the centralization of power and linked stability to loyalty.
Over the following decades, the sons of Abdulaziz succeeded one another as kings, but power remained within the family, while society remained largely excluded from decision-making. Despite the use of religious rhetoric to assert the "implementation of Sharia," this rhetoric was often selective, applied harshly to opponents and softened when it conflicted with the interests of the ruling power.
With the rise of Mohammed bin Salman, the Kingdom entered a new phase, ostensibly characterized by "reform and openness." However, the reality revealed a stark contradiction: social and entertainment liberalization on one hand, and unprecedented security and political repression on the other. The old power centers were marginalized, and decision-making became concentrated in one hand, creating a highly sensitive political reality.
The 2018 assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi marked a turning point in global perceptions of Saudi rule. The case was not merely an isolated incident; it became a symbol of how the Kingdom dealt with critical voices abroad, sparking a wave of international condemnation and human rights reports that questioned its commitment to standards of justice and transparency.
Domestically, human rights organizations have documented the arrests of scholars, intellectuals, activists, and opinion leaders, some of whom were unarmed and did not advocate violence, but rather called for reform or expressed legitimate or political views. Meanwhile, billions of dollars have been spent on entertainment projects, international concerts, and massive sports deals in an attempt to reshape the Kingdom's global image.
This episode poses difficult and direct questions:
Can economic modernization coexist with political repression?
Does genuine reform begin with entertainment or with justice and participation?
And why does this model enjoy international silence despite repeated human rights reports?
In Believe It or Not – Orphans Channel, we don't offer ready-made answers; we present the facts and leave you to think and analyze. This isn't just the story of a family, but the story of a state, of power, and of a model of governance that continues to spark controversy to this day.
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In upcoming episodes, we will continue to deconstruct models of governance and power in the Arab world… because the most dangerous aspects of history are those that remain undiscussed.