Saudi Arabia
General and Cultural Freedoms
As of now, the “general practice” is for women to wear fully-covering black veils, and for men to wear long white shirts covering to the wrists, as well as a head cover. There is a religious police force, the Mutawwa’in, that enforces these practices. On March 15, 2002, 15 schoolgirls died because religious police (also called the “Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice”) refused to let them exit a burning building due to their dress, sparking a backlash against the police and their practices. Along with dress code, the religious police force also enforces segregation on the basis of sex, driving restrictions on women, and designated prayer times for people attending mosque.
Saudi Arabia has no freedom of religion. The state religion is Islam, and all citizens are required to be Muslims. The government does not allow the public expression, proselytizing, and meetings of religions excluding Islam. For example, one cannot wear a Christian cross or a Jewish Star of David in public without fear of retaliation by the Mutawwa’in, the religious police.
Saudi Arabia is a country severely lacking freedom of expression. As articulated by Freedom House, “Authorities do not permit criticism of Islam or the ruling family by domestic media, and a national security law prohibits criticism of the government.”
Reporters Without Borders, a non-profit organization reporting on freedom of the press and of expression throughout the world, labeled Saudi Arabia one of the 15 “Enemies of the Internet.” Saudi Arabia is reported to have blocked over 400,000 websites, including those with any relation to politics, homosexuality, education, western entertainment (music, movies…), religion excluding Islam, and pornography. Also, many books are banned from Saudi Arabia, as shown by the illegality of distributing Christian Bibles.
Saudi Arabia does not employ conscription as a way to bolster its standing army.
Education System
Saudi Arabia’s education system leaves minimal freedom for the student to explore paths of thought diverging from the one prescribed by the Government. Prince Fahn bin Sultan, Tabouk District Governor, stated that “There is no room for personal commentary by a teacher who sets the curriculum aside. He must not deviate from it – even if he has spare time during the lesson.” There is a “ban on teaching Western philosophy and religions other than Islam,” and “informers monitor classrooms for compliance with limits on curriculums.” All students of the education system must take a minimum of 3 hours of Islamic study courses a week.
Education in Saudi Arabia is separated by sex, and curriculum is altered for the sexes. Girls are not permitted to enter into traditional Islamic education, yet there is higher female enrollment in secondary education than male enrollment. Female literacy rates are at 50.2%, and at 71.5% for males.
Government-granted “Rights of Age”
Saudi Arabia is one of the four countries in the world that has not granted women the right to vote, along with Bhutan, Brunei, and Lebanon (which has an education restriction for women, but not for men). The male voting age in Saudi Arabia is 21. In Saudi Arabia, drinking alcohol, no matter what age, is forbidden. Recognizing its constitution as the Koran, Saudi Arabia utilizes the text as a religious justification in outlawing the substance. The country is one of the few countries in the world that bans alcohol. Furthermore, the punishments are very stringent. “Sentences for alcohol offences range from a few weeks or months imprisonment for consumption to several years for smuggling, manufacturing or distributing alcohol. Lashes can also be part of the sentence; and a hefty Customs fine if smuggled alcohol is involved. The authorities also hand out stiff penalties to people found in possession of equipment for making alcohol.”
Saudi Arabia also has one of the highest driving ages in the world at 25, and in addition does not allow women to drive. Again citing religious reasons, the government does not allow women to ride bicycles.
Women of all ages and unmarried children require the consent or the accompaniment of a close male relative or spouse to leave the country.
The employment age of Saudi Arabia is 13, yet there are restrictions on the type of work and the length of work (6 hours a day). Saudis are given full rights as workers at age 18.
There is no specific age restriction for marriage, but as dictated by Islamic tradition, the age of marriage must “ensure happiness for both spouses and prevent the countless social dangers inherent in delaying the age of marriage…the person wishing to marry must have the capacity therefore.”
Health and Sexuality
Abortion in Saudi Arabia is mostly restricted. The only situations in which the operation is permissible is when the woman’s life is at risk, and when it is needed either to preserve the physical or mental health of the woman.
Homosexuality is strictly forbidden; sodomy is punishable by death, and this penalty has been carried out in recent years. Like many other “harsh” laws, the reasoning is linked to religion. However, gay life in Saudi Arabia is flourishing, facilitated by the large amount of contact between men, the view by the religious police that what goes on in the private sphere is outside their jurisdiction, and the general sentiment that to be gay is not a lifestyle rather than a practice some men engage in.
The importation and use of contraceptives is banned, and is punishable by six months in jail.
Dating and Marriage
Most marriages are arranged, but there is a growing trend perticularly in urban areas for people to pick their own future spouses. Because of the mandated separation of the sexes, dating is essentially non-existent. Men occasionally pay dowries for their brides. Polygamy is legal for up to four wives.
Sex before marriage, especially for women, is taboo. On top of the inevitable dishonor brought to oneself and ones family, one may also be punished with lashings by the government.
Sources Used:
A History of Saudi Arabia, Madawi Al-Rasheed
http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/irf/irf_rpt/irf_saudiara.html
http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/banned-books.html
http://www.freemuslims.org/news/article.php?article=298
http://www.the-saudi.net/saudi-arabia/saudi-constitution.htm
http://www.ukm.org.sa/Free%20lists/LIVING%20IN%20SAUDI%20ARABIA.doc
http://www.truthout.org/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi/35/10339
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1012.html
http://www.right-to-education.org
http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/abortion
http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/abortion/profiles.htm
http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/prem/200705/gay-saudi-arabia
OGGA BOOGA LASHINGS ARE CRAZY… THIS WAS A VERY GOOD SITE FOR THE YOUNGER ORIGIN OF THE COUNTRIES IN THE HIGHER ORIGAN. I LIKED IT BECUASE I LEARNED THAT I COULD GET LASHINGS .. I DONT WANT ONE… BUT MAYBE I DO
marriages must be allowed among saudi muslims girls with other muslim countries, regardless their race and country of origion. Islam is a beautiful and an open religion.
please don’t try to save us “heathens” … just leave us to our own Evil ways. if you want, you can get your oil from all of your oil from a decent guy like Hugo Chavez.
“ensure happiness for both spouses and prevent the countless social dangers inherent in delaying the age of marriage…the person wishing to marry must have the capacity therefore.”
Well that’s a ironic thing to say when they will kill their own teenagers for just having SEX outside of marriage!! As if growing up isn’t hard enough. There’s nothing to describe that.
I think the point of this website is to educate and spread knowledge about the freedoms a country offers, whether too few or too many, as based on different subjective views.
The website does a good job of being unbiased, but it’s sort of shocking how immediately defensive both West and East are being here on the comments…
I think we need to understand where we’re all coming from and where we’re all going to, and by understanding each other, each other’s history, and that there is no distinct Good and Evil, but a middle attempt for everyone’s happiness, we’d be in a much better place.
The vast majority of the USA does NOT agree with the actions of Bush and his administration, as I’m positive there is [repressed] dissent against the extremist tribalism of bin Laden in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia. Both the West and East need to realize that our foreign policies are absolutist, dividing everything into Good and Evil, but it DOES NOT REFLECT the views of the citizens and those who are well-informed.
We need understand each other and stop this moral and political absolutism, or the world we share will rise up in flames.
Abu Ameerah, what is your issue man? You’re assuming that the only value your nation has is oil? How dare you make the assumption that all us foreigners care about is your country’s natural resources… This is part of the damn problem, your position is not an uncommon one. You are assuming that our attempts at intervention are not related to the ridiculous amount of social restriction going on in your nation, and that we just want to drain you all dry… This is far from the truth, oil is certainly a valuable resource, but as it is now, with so much of your population repressed in terms of sexuality, free speach, religion, etc; there is no wiggle room for you to take part in the developing global markets and world business. Such remarkably conservative tendencies prohibit innovation and cultural development. There is nothing wrong with Islam, matter of fact i have nothing but respect for the religion of Islam, it is one of the most beautiful and open religions in the world, but these conservative tendencies are keeping your eyes closed to the progress and innovations of the modern world. Please, don’t make assumptions.
i agree wit u
[...] Reporters Without Borders, a non-profit organization reporting on freedom of the press and of expres… [...]
i dont like abortions and i think they are completly wrong if you didnt want to have a baby then be smart and not have sex at all! thats my feelings about it
I’ve been reading princess by jean sasson and it’s a great book to read if you want to know more about Saudi Arabia from a women’s view. It is really sad how they treat women there and this is a great website to find references about life there.
It’s so crazy how they arrange marriages there! I sware that country is so backward… but thats just my opinion so pls dont throw rocks at me
Abotions are only right in the case of rape
Do you know how scientists figured out that cervical cancer was sexually transmitted? The scientists noted that cervical cancer hardly exists in Saudi Arabia. That is because women are protected from premarital sex and the men are faithful to their wives so they aren’t bringing home HIV, HPV, syphillis and all the rest. Men actually take responsiblity and pride in their families. In the west, when a woman is raped, the baby is killed. In Arabia, when a woman is raped, the rapist is killed. No society is perfect. However Saudi Arabia’s laws offer significant protections and opportunities for women.
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i really don’t care what the article was saying cos i didn’t really read it all
but to say lebanon is a country that does not allow women to vote is a biiiiiiiig lie. Lebanese women are allowed to vote since long ago, we have female parleiment represetatives, and women ministers in the government. Enrollemt of lebanese women in higher education is more than that of men. So double check your info before you publish them
i agree:)
maan u dont know what the hell ur talking about..
for exaamplee, the driving age is saaudii is 17 years according to the arabic (hijri) calendar, which is a little over 16 years old
damn i think abortions should b allowed. its tha’ womens decisions wheather or not they wanna’ have a baby
Even though there are some rules which needs Saudi Government attention, Specially laws related to unskilled worker. People may seems rules like lashes for fornication and banning abortion is irrational but its good for family system. if we see today in West what family values they have left, nothing. Teen pregnancy is so common, this all is burden on country economy and destroy family system. I think we should see things with their end results and logic, then we will know where is the civilized nations.