Saudi Arabia

28 million people
Internet:
Not Free
Press:
Not Free
Not Free

Population and GNI data source

News & Updates

Freedom Alert

Travel Bans a Means of Silencing Saudi Human Rights Defenders

Apr 10 2012 - 2:26pm

Saudi Arabia's Ministry of the Interior imposed a ten-year travel ban on human rights defender Sheikh Mikhlif Al-Shammari on April 8, following his release from prison in February 2012. Al-Shammari, who has been an advocate for reform and democratic change in Saudi Arabia, was detained for 20 months for writing content deemed "disturbing to others." It is unacceptable that Saudi Arabia continues to use travel bans as a means of silencing human rights defenders and dissenters. Freedom House calls on the government to immediately lift any travel restrictions against Al-Shammari and other activists.

Issues: 
Civil Society, Freedom of Association, Human Rights Defense
Regions: 
Middle East and North Africa

Saudi Writer Kashgari Deported

Feb 13 2012 - 12:11pm

Freedom House is alarmed by the deportation of Saudi writer Hamza Kashgari from Malaysia after fleeing Saudi Arabia to escape death threats for allegedly insulting the prophet Mohammad on Twitter. Kashgari was detained in Malaysia on February 9 and taken back to Saudi Arabia by Saudi authorities on February 12.

Issues: 
Civil Society, Freedom of Expression, Internet Freedom, Religious Freedom, Rule of Law
Regions: 
Asia-Pacific
Press Release

Detention of Saudi Writer for Twitter Posts Raises Concerns

Feb 10 2012 - 4:02pm

Freedom House is deeply concerned about the detention by Malaysian authorities of Saudi writer Hamza Kashgari, who fled Saudi Arabia to escape death threats for allegedly insulting the prophet Mohammad on Twitter. The 23-year-old Kashgari is at imminent risk of extradition to Saudi Arabia, where he faces charges of blasphemy that can carry the death penalty.

Issues: 
Freedom of Expression, Internet Freedom, Media Freedom, Religious Freedom, Rule of Law
Regions: 
Asia-Pacific
Freedom Alert

Saudi Woman to Face Lashings for Defying Driving Ban

Sep 26 2011 - 7:00pm

A Saudi woman found guilty of defying a driving ban in July 2011 will face a brutal punishment of 10 lashings. She did not want to be identified publicly to protect her safety and said will appeal the sentence, according to the Women2Drive campaign. A number of other women have been arrested for similar reasons, including Madihah Al-Agroosh on September 27, and Najla al-Hariri on September 25—the same day King Abdullah announced that women will be given voting rights. Hariri will face trial after being questioned for her role in instigating driving campaigns.

Issues: 
Civil Society, Women's Rights
Regions: 
Middle East and North Africa, Middle East and North Africa

Signature Reports

Freedom in the World

Freedom on the Net

Freedom of the Press

Special Reports

Worst of the Worst 2011: The World's Most Repressive Societies

Freedom House has prepared this special report entitled Worst of the Worst: The World’s Most Repressive Societies, as a companion to its annual survey on the state of global political rights and civil liberties, Freedom in the World. The special report provides summary country reports, tables, and graphical information on the countries that receive the lowest combined ratings for political rights and civil liberties in Freedom in the World, and whose citizens endure systematic and pervasive human rights violations.

Issues: 
Democratic Governance, Freedom of Expression, Human Rights Defense
Regions: 
Asia-Pacific, Central and Eastern Europe/Eurasia, Middle East and North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa

Worst of the Worst 2007

Sudan, North Korea and Uzbekistan are prominent among the most repressive regimes in the world, according to a report released by Freedom House.  The study, “The Worst of the Worst: The World's Most Repressive Societies 2007,” named seventeen countries with the worst records for political rights and civil liberties, and pointed to thirteen countries which have been on the list for five years or more.

Issues: 
Democratic Governance, Human Rights Defense, Rule of Law
Regions: 
Central and Eastern Europe/Eurasia, Middle East and North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa

Saudi Arabia's Curriculum of Intolerance

Freedom House's Center for Religious Freedom released a report analyzing a set of Saudi Ministry of Education textbooks in use during the current academic year in Islamic studies courses for elementary and secondary students. The textbooks promote an ideology of hatred toward people, including Muslims, who do not subscribe to the Wahhabi sect of Islam.

Issues: 
Religious Freedom
Regions: 
Middle East and North Africa

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