Saudi Arabia Country Update

This report assesses religious freedom conditions in Saudi Arabia in 2022. The ongoing power shifts from the Saudi religious establishment to the ruling family has created some opportunities for reforms to guardianship laws, textbooks, and social policies impacting religious freedom. However, the trend of retrying prisoners and sentencing others to decades in prison for peaceful religious dissent is an alarming development that undermines the Saudi narrative of reform. This report discusses these sentences, provides information on conditions for religious minorities, and recommends U.S. policy toward Saudi Arabia as it relates to promoting freedom of religion or belief.