Religious freedom conditions in Saudi Arabia are poor. The public practice of any religion other than Islam is prohibited, as are non-Muslim houses of worship. The religious male guardianship system severely restricts women's freedoms. Shi’a Muslims have been arrested, tried, and executed for protesting against religious freedom restrictions. State textbooks have intolerant content on religious subjects.

Source: Muslim pilgrims circle the Kaaba and pray at the Grand mosque at the end of their Haj pilgrimage in the holy city of Mecca, RUETERS / Bektas

Recent News

All
Press Releases
Op-Eds
Speeches
Spotlight

USCIRF Releases 2025 Annual Report

USCIRF Welcomes the Release of Two Religious Prisoners in Saudi Arabia

USCIRF Releases Report Analyzing State Department CPC Designations

USCIRF Releases New Report on Religious Freedom in Saudi Arabia

USCIRF Releases 2024 Annual Report with New Recommendations for U.S. Policy

View All News

USCIRF Releases 2025 Annual Report

USCIRF Welcomes the Release of Two Religious Prisoners in Saudi Arabia

USCIRF Releases Report Analyzing State Department CPC Designations

USCIRF Releases New Report on Religious Freedom in Saudi Arabia

USCIRF Releases 2024 Annual Report with New Recommendations for U.S. Policy

View Press Releases

Religion News Service: Repression of women points to worsening religious freedom trends abroad

Newsweek: Saudi Arabia, Lift Raif Badawi's Travel Ban

The Hill: A glimmer of hope in bringing accountability to religious freedom violators abroad

TIME: Raif Badawi Is Still in Prison Over a Series of Blog Posts. The U.S. Has Given Saudi Arabia a Free Pass for Too Long

The Hill: President Trump: Tell Saudi Arabia to Free Raif Badawi

View Op-Eds

Remarks by USCIRF Chair Katrina Lantos Swett, 2013 Annual Report, National Endowment for Democracy

View Speeches

Differences Between Religious Tolerance and Religious Freedom

Religious Tolerance Efforts in the Middle East

Saudi Arabia’s Religious Reforms Not Enough

Governments Using Shari’a to Impose Death Sentences on LGBTI Persons

View Spotlight

Publications

Annual Report
Reports, Briefs, and Factsheets

2025 Annual Report

2024 Annual Report

2023 Annual Report

2022 Annual Report
View Annual Report Chapters & Translations

Saudi Arabia Country Update

Anti-Conversion Laws Compendium

25th Anniversary of the International Religious Freedom Act

Personal Status and Family Law in the Middle East and North Africa
View Reports, Briefs, and Factsheets

Congressional Testimony

Congressional Testimony
Government Correspondence

Testimony of Vice Chair Maenza on Global Persecution of Christians

Testimony of USCIRF Chair Thomas J. Reese, S.J., on "Blasphemy Laws and Censorship by States and Non-State Actors"
View Congressional Testimony
Sorry, no results found.
View Government Correspondence