This country update provides an overview of the situation of freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) in Saudi Arabia and is largely informed by an official USCIRF trip to the country in March 2024. While identifying FoRB-related government reforms that have been implemented gradually in recent years, the report addresses key issues that emerged in consultations with civil society and Saudi government officials during the trip. These include: The changing role of religion and national identity; systematic barriers to religious freedom in the judicial system; education curriculum reform; the Saudi legal apparatus; and the targeting of religious minorities, women, and other vulnerable groups on the basis of religion. It encourages U.S. leaders to center religious freedom as an essential component of the U.S.-Saudi bilateral relationship and the implementation of Vision 2030.

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