USCIRF Releases New Report on Religious Freedom in Saudi Arabia

USCIRF Releases New Report on Religious Freedom in Saudi Arabia

Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following report:

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.

In its 2022 Annual Report, USCIRF recommended that the U.S. State Department redesignate Saudi Arabia as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) for its ongoing violations of religious freedom, and lift the national security waiver releasing the administration from taking otherwise
legislatively mandated action as a result of the designation.

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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by the U.S. Congress to monitor, analyze, and report on religious freedom abroad. USCIRF makes foreign policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress intended to deter religious persecution and promote freedom of religion and belief. To interview a commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected].