Saudi Arabia has detained thousands of people for years without trial, Human Rights Watch said yesterday, slamming the country's powerful crown prince for the "arbitrary detentions". Official data from the interior ministry, analysed by HRW, showed that authorities had detained 2,305 people for more than six months without referring them to court. More than 1,870 had been held for more than a year and 251 for more than three years with their cases still "under investigation," HRW said.