- Middle East -

The majority of the Saudi population is of Arab descent, while the remaining ten percent mostly consist of African and Asian migrants. The state religion is Wahhabi Islam, and about 70 percent of the population belong to this religious group. The Sunni Muslims and Shiites each account for about ten percent of the population.

Wahhabi Islam is often considered as an ideological basis for numerous Islamist terrorist organizations, such as Al Qaeda and IS. From a Western liberal perspective, the human rights situation in Saudi Arabia is poor – and it is especially the aspects of freedom of religion, freedom of expression, and women’s rights that are frequently criticized.

On the occasion of the World Press Freedom Day 2015, the STP once again tried to draw attention to the problematic situation regarding the freedom of the press in Saudi Arabia by calling on the German Federal Government to step up its commitment towards independent reporting in Saudi Arabia, Germany’s strategic partner.

In the spring of 2017, we organized a vigil in front of the Embassy of Saudi Arabia, demanding an end to the military intervention in Yemen – with all its catastrophic consequences for the civilian population. By means of appeals and vigils, we also informed the public about Germany’s arms deals with Saudi Arabia, demanding the Federal Government to stop providing the country with weapons.

Further information about Saudi Arabia

Header photo: Al Jazeera English via Flickr