CROWDVOICE

Saudi Arabia's Salafi rulers restrict Shia political participation, despite Shias making up about 15% of of Saudis. Shia Muslims face religious discrimination, economic marginalization, and are prevented from taking a number of jobs, including in the armed forces. Violence against the Shia community is sanctioned and in the past fatwas have been passed denouncing the Shias as apostates. The Saudi state has restricted everything from names that can be given to children, to banning Ashura in some districts, to denying Shia cemeteries. The Shia community has been protesting these conditions since 2011 with the Saudi government promising that all protests would be dealt with using an "iron fist".