Saudi Arabia detains 158 people in September corruption crackdown

Saudi Arabia’s Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority (Nazaha) detained 158 citizens and residents during September 2026 on charges of bribery and abuse of official influence. The authority announced on Thursday, 1 October, that the arrests followed 1,758 inspection visits conducted throughout the month. Inter-ministerial investigations Investigators questioned 381 suspects in total, involving employees from the ministries of Interior, Justice, Education, and Municipalities and Housing. While legal proceedings are ongoing, Nazaha confirmed that some detainees were released on bail in accordance with the Kingdom’s criminal procedure laws. All cases are being prepared for referral to the judiciary once investigations conclude. The September crackdown marks a significant rise in enforcement activity compared to the previous month. In August, Nazaha detained 108 individuals after investigating 352 suspects. Despite the higher number of arrests in September, the total number of inspection visits dropped from the 2,659 recorded in August. Reporting and transparency The anti-corruption drive is part of a sustained effort to improve administrative transparency and financial accountability across Saudi Arabia’s public sector. Nazaha has instructed the public to report any suspected financial or administrative corruption via its toll-free number, 980. The announcement on Thursday follows a series of similar crackdowns earlier this year. Authorities have previously reported detaining…