Saudi Arabia’s new monarch, King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud, comes to power at a time when blogger Raif Badawi has been sentenced to 10 years in prison and 1,000 lashes for criticizing Islam. Will the new king usher in a more open era for religious freedom?
Probably not, experts say.
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Change may be on the horizon, though, with the rise of social media movements, as well as a growing contingent of Saudi women unwilling to accept the kingdom’s strict gender regulations.
“People you talk to, they are much more willing to raise their voice now than before,” al-Ahmed told AP. “When Abdullah came, people had high hopes. I don’t think that is there now. … People think of [Salman] as another Al Saud prince who is not willing to share power, so I think people are going to accelerate their demands.”
