A recent report by Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB), titled “Systemic Discrimination and Religious Repression: The Shia Struggle for Equality in Saudi Arabia”, sheds light on the persistent challenges faced by Saudi Arabia’s Shia community, which makes up around 12% of the population.
The report details decades of religious restrictions, economic marginalization, and exclusion from employment and education opportunities.
Saudi authorities’ strict interpretation of Sunni Islam has severely limited Shia religious practices, according to the report. It cites a 2014 royal decree imposing up to 20-year prison sentences for those labeled “atheists” and highlights tightened controls on Shia mosque construction, with permits largely confined to the Eastern Province, where most Shia reside.
The report also documents the demolition of Shia religious sites, including a mosque in the Shia-majority town of Awamiyah in December 2020. Educational curricula have been criticized for promoting anti-Shia rhetoric, while Shia religious institutions remain absent, and the distribution of Shia religious materials is banned.
ADHRB’s report further reveals systemic discrimination in government and security sectors, with Shia individuals excluded from leadership roles and facing barriers to promotions. The judicial system, biased toward Sunni interpretations of Islamic law, often issues harsh sentences against Shia defendants.
Between 2015 and 2016, attacks on Shia mosques and religious gatherings resulted in dozens of casualties. Despite Saudi Arabia’s “Vision 2030” initiative to improve its global image, systemic discrimination against the Shia persists.
ADHRB has called on Saudi authorities to reform the Basic Law of Governance to protect citizens’ rights regardless of religious affiliation and urged the international community to pressure Saudi Arabia to respect religious freedoms and investigate sectarian arrests and detentions.
