Saudi Arabia has a population of 18.5 million. Saudi Arabia is one of 10 countries in the world which does not have a modern constitution. It has been stated that its constitution is the Quran. The system of government in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is that of a monarchy. Islam is the official religion, and all citizens must be Muslims. The Government prohibits the practice of other religions.
There are five million foreign workers living in the country who, according to reports, are subject to severe discrimination. Freedom of religion does not exist. According to report, seven Indian nationals were recently arrested in the city of Jubayl for conducting Christmas services. They were soon released after their embassy's intervention. An undetermined number of Filipinos were arrested in Damman on the same charge.
Conversion by a Muslim to another religion is considered apostasy. Public apostasy is a crime under Shari'a law and punishable by death. There were no executions in 1995 for apostasy, although one Saudi man-- by law a Muslim--was executed for practicing witchcraft.
The Shi'a Muslim minority (500,000 of over 12 million citizens) lives mostly in the Eastern Province. They are the objects of officially sanctioned social and economic discrimination.
The Government does not permit public or private non-Muslim religious activities. Persons wearing religious symbols of any kind in public risk confrontation with the Mutawwa'in. The general prohibition against religious symbols applies also to Muslims. A Muslim wearing a Koranic necklace in public would be admonished. Non-Muslim worshipers risk arrest, lashing, and deportation for engaging in any religious activity that attracts official attention.
2003 US State Department International Religious Freedom Report on Saudi Arabia
Saudi Islamic Doctrine Hard to Control WorldWide Religious News 4/19/04
Saudi Shi'ites Mark Martyr's Death with New Freedom ABC News 3/02/04
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