Mabahith

Mabahith مباحث
Seal of the Mabahith
Flag of the Mabahith
Common name	Mabahith
Motto	A homeland we don't protect, we don't deserve to live in
Agency overview
Formed	October 14, 1924; 99 years ago (1924-10-14) as General Directorate of Public Security
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdiction	Saudi Arabia
General nature	Secret police
Operational structure
Headquarters	Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Agency executives	General officer AbdulAziz bin Mohammed Al-Howairini, Director Lt. Gen. Abdullah al-Qarni, Deputy Director
Parent agency	Presidency of State Security

The Ministry of Interior and General Investigation (Arabic: الوزارة الداخلية المباحث العامة, romanized: al-Wizāra al-Dākhliya al-Mabāḥith al-ʿĀmma), commonly known simply as the Mabahith, is the secret police agency of the Presidency of State Security in Saudi Arabia, and deals with domestic security and counter-intelligence.

The officers of the Mabahith have delegated powers to investigate, survey, and detain individuals who are deemed to be "threats to national security".^[1] The Mabahith has conducted a wide variety of security operations that have led to the arrest of high profile terrorists, and opposition members that caused internal unrest. Officially, the Mabahith are to turn over arrested individuals to the Saudi courts for sentencing. The Mabahith have been used by the government of Saudi Arabia to monitor political opposition and individuals they deem to be threatening to Saudi society. The organization has been criticized by the United Nations, Amnesty International, and Human Rights Watch.^[2]