"The Saudi state has permitted government-appointed religious scholars and clerics and government institutions to refer to religious minorities such as Shia in derogatory terms or demonize them in official documents and religious rulings. In addition, in recent years, government-appointed clerics have used the internet and social media to demonize and incite hatred against Shia Muslims and others who do not conform to their views. “They are Not Our Brothers”, is based on an analysis of Saudi clerics’ fatwas and statements, court rulings, and the 2016-17 Ministry of Education religion curriculum. The report documents Saudi religious officials’ incitement to hatred and discrimination; anti-Shia bias in the Saudi criminal judicial system; and the religion curriculum’s use of anti-Shia rhetoric. The report shows how such speech is instrumental in Saudi Arabia’s enforcement of a system of discrimination against Saudi Shia citizens. The report calls on the Saudi authorities to take immediate steps to end the use of hate speech by state-affiliated clerics and governmental agencies. The authorities should also end anti-Shia bias in the justice system, allow Shia to freely practice their religious beliefs on an equal basis with Sunni citizens, and reform the education curriculum to remove anti-Shia elements." (Back cover)