Despite Crown Prince Mohammed’s promise to return Saudi brand of Islam to a more tolerant era, the country has remained deeply intolerant, not only of non-Muslims, but of the country’s Shi’a population and other minorities. Shariah Law remains the law of the land and God’s “words” – as in the Quran – remain the state’s constitution. Zealous Wahhabi clerics oversee the country’s rule of law.
Leading this discussion is Dr. Ali Alyami, the Director of the DC-based Center for Democracy and Human Rights (CDHR) in Saudi Arabia. Moderating the discussion will be Dr. Emile Nakhleh, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, a Research Professor and Director of the Global and National Security Policy Institute at the University of New Mexico.