To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his Saudi Arabian counterpart on (a) reports of the persecution of minorities and (b) the ability to attend religious meetings without fear of persecution in that country.
Answered on
10 April 2019
Saudi Arabia remains a Foreign and Commonwealth Office human rights priority country, particularly because of the use of the death penalty, women’s rights and restrictions on freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and freedom of religion or belief. The British Government strongly supports the right to freedom of religion or belief, which is restricted in Saudi Arabia. We have made these views clear to the Saudi authorities. The UK position was made clear in the UK Statement for Saudi Arabia’s Universal Periodic Review adoption in March 2019.