Saudi Arabia’s highest religious authority has declared homosexuality “one of the most horrible crimes” and gay people “a disgrace in the world and the next”.
In a statement of Wednesday, Grand Mufti Abdulaziz al-Sheikh said the kingdom, which hosts Islam’s two holiest sites, categorically rejects homosexuality, even as Riyadh seeks to transform its ultraconservative image amid a modernisation drive.
After Abdallah Al-Mouallimi, the UN ambassador to Saudi Arabia, expressed concern about text in a UN General Assembly Draft on Democracy that contained terms such as’sexual orientation’ and ‘gender identity’
Saudi Arabia has a reputation for being one of the most hostile countries to LGBT+ rights. They frequently penalize homosexuals.
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman shakes hands (right) with Saudi Arabia’s Grand mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz Al al Sheikh. This was during an almegiance-pledging ceremony that took place in Mecca, Saudi Arabia on June 21, 2017. The Grand Mufti said on Wednesday that the kingdom categorically rejects homosexuality
According to the statement made by the Saudi Press Agency (OSPA), the mufti declared that homosexuality is one the most terrible crimes.
He declared that homosexuals were an ‘evil and shameful thing in this world, the hereafter’ and said: “Human Rights… are first and foremost in God’s Law and not in the perverse desires that sow corruption on Earth.”
On Friday, local media reported that Mouallimi stated that this terminology is contrary to Arab-Islamic identity. It also violates the laws of several member states.
According to the comments of the grand mufti, Saudi Arabia’s defacto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has attempted to present a more business-friendly image than his strict kingdom in an effort to attract investment and diversify its economy.
The conservative Gulf state saw a shift. It lifted a ban against women driving and allowed mixed-gender events. They also cut the power of once-feared religious police.
Saudi Arabia also has invested large in sports, tourism, and entertainment over the past few years, while still maintaining a strong crackdown against dissent.
Abdallah al-Mouallimi from Saudi Arabia was pictured in the UN in 2016. He expressed concerns about text contained within the UN General Assembly’s draft democracy. It included terms such as’sexual orientation’ and ‘gender identity.
As Saudi Arabia’s defacto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has tried to portray a more business-friendly image, the grand mufti made these comments.
However, despite attempts by Saudi Arabia to project a reformist image of itself, homosexuality and atheism are still illegal.
While punishments for same-sex relationships are not outlined under the law in Saudi Arabia, they are strictly prohibited under Sharia law, from which the country draws its legal framework.
Saudi Arabian-backed group bought Newcastle United, an English Premier League football team. This brought attention to LGBTQ+ rights in Saudi Arabia.
Many spoke out against the purchase, citing Saudi Arabia’s human rights record – such as the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside the country’s Istanbul embassy and the rights of LGBTQ+ people – as a reason to block the deal.