Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Wadjda

A film by a female Saudi director Haifaa Al Mansour in 2012. This is the first feature film in Saudi Arabia which has with no movie theater or any movie productions. This movie tells a story about a 10-year-old girl named Wadjda. She wants to buy a bicycle but girls in Saudi Arabia aren't allowed to ride bicycles. She strives to be free and against social expectation. This movie is powerful and shows that it is up to people to change things, not only by changing regimes and political leaders, but also by believing in women.

Abaya

A garment worn by Muslim women in Saudi Arabia. It is a full-length, robe-like dress that is worn over a woman's clothing to insure that she is fully covered from neck to below the ankles. In addition to the abaya women will also wear a hijab or there is a version of the abaya that extends from the top of the head to below the ankle.

King Abdulaziz Air Base / Dhahran Air Base

A military airbase in Dhahran which houses the Royal Saudi Air Force. It was built by the U.S. after the signing of the Dhahran AirField Agreement in 1945 and was intended to be used as a base in Asia during WWII due to the base's proximity to ARAMCO. The base was renamed Dhahran International Airport in the 1950s and was used for commercial flight until the U.S. Air Force left Dhahran in 1962. Currently it is the major air base for RSAF.

Mecca Intermediate School No. 31 Fire (2002)

A school was set ablaze when a girl was smoking a cigarette and the hall monitor told her to throw it out. She tossed it into the trash and soon after, a fire started. All the girls and women in the school (around 750 people) tried to escape but the school did not have adequate exits and the hallway was too narrow causing the girls to get trapped inside. Luckily firefighters and ambulances arrived to the scene rather quickly and got most of the people out. However, because some of the girls had left their abayas in the school during their escape, and their rescuers were men, some of the girls were forced back inside to retrieve their abayas. Fifteen of the students died that day, and not because they couldn't get out but because they were forced back inside to cover up.This fire brought a lot of attention to the school systems and safety systems set in place for girls in Saudi Arabia. The Mecca Intermediate School building was not designed to accommodate that many students; and it is like that for many girl's schools in Saudi Arabia. Girl's Schools are not give the he same safety features as boy schools, nor are they often as equipped to be schools in the first place.

Ali Mohammed al-Nimr

A teenager who participated in the protests during the Arab Spring in 2011. He was to be punished by beheading and crucifixion. _______ trial was called unfair and was tried to be stopped, but wasn't.

Khobar Towers Bombing (1996)

A terrorist attack on part of a housing complex located near ARAMCO headquarters. At that time ________ was being used as quarters for foreign military personnel. 19 U.S. servicemen were killed and 498 of many nationalities were wounded. Although al-Queda has been described by some sources as the likely culprit, in 2006 a U.S. court found Iran and Hezbollah guilty of orchestrating the attack.

Raif Badawi

A writer and an activist. In 2012, he was accused of and arrested for insulting Islam through blogging. He was also on trial for apostasy. Throughout 2013 and 2014, his jail sentence increased from 7 to 10 years and 600 to 1000 lashes.

Deera Square (aka "Chop-Chop Square")

As of June, Saudi Arabia had already beheaded 100 prisoners this year. Beheading is the most common form of execution in Saudi Arabia and is usually public. Most of them happen here. Amputations also take place in here. It is located in the capital of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh.

Mohammad Fahad Muflih al-Qahtani

Because his calls for Saudi judicial reform, Professor ________ was sentenced to ten years in prison from 2013 and ten years of travel ban. He insisted on Saudi civil rights and civil liberties, and a tireless advocate for political prisoners and their families.. He is an economics Professor at the Institute of Diplomatic Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Saudi Arabia) and Co-Founder of the Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association (ACPRA).

Princesses Jawaher, Sahar, Hala, Maha

Daughters of the late King Abdullah who are reported to be living under house arrest. In 2014, news reports about their dire condition in the Saudi royal compounds in Jeddah emerged. Their mother Alanoud, who has been living in the UK for the past decade, claims that this house arrest has been going on for years due to the intolerance for their ideas regarding gender roles. News reporters managed to reach Sahar and Jawaher, who described being deprived of food and water in a video. Saudi officials' only comment was that this was a "private matter".

Mina Stampede (2015)

During the annual Hajj pilgrimage in September, more than 717 people died in a stampede on their way to the holy city of Mecca. The stampede occurred in the city of Mina where pilgrims take part in the symbolic stoning of the devil: throwing pebbles at three stone walls. Furthermore, the day prior to the Mina stampede many were killed in the crane accident; supposedly the reason for construction was because the Saudi government's is attempting to expand the camp grounds in order to encourage more followers of Muhammad to visit Mecca. Sadly, the Mina stampede has not been the deadliest of this holy trek. The stampede further progressed the tension between Saudi Arabia and Iran, who continuously criticize Saudi Arabia's government.

King Salman (r. 2005- )

He succeeded his half brother on January this year, and he became the 79-year-old king of Saudi Arabia. He is the head of the House of Saudi, and also he is in charge of the two Holy Mosques. As an old man to be the king, Salman not only suffers from chronic disease, but he also faces public's accuses of the failing system. After the stampede during pilgrimage that 769 pilgrims died, Salman was embarrassed and accused because it defied his efforts to create and safe holy place of Islam.

King Abudulaziz ibn Saud (r. 1932-1953)

In 1926, he proclaimed himself king and in 1932, he founded the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In addition to him determining his own destiny, he was an crucial leader for the Wahhabi sect of Islam. According to history today, he had a rule where he could have no more than four wives at once, but he could change them at his own discretion. Rumor has it, he had up to three hundred wives and was a quality father to all forty of his sons and unknown daughters.

Male Guardianship

In Saudi Arabia woman often need to ask permission from a "guardian" meaning a husband, brother, or father to travel, work, get married, and sometimes access healthcare. Male guardianship over women also increases the risk of confronting domestic violence in Saudi Arabia. This is because Male guardianship makes it difficult for the victims to get themselves protection.

Care Rehabilitation Center

It is a facility in Saudi Arabia intended to integrate former jihadists back into the Saudi culture. The core of the program is to return extremists to the "true Islam." The program employs intensive religious instruction by deconstructing extremists' interpretation of the Holy Qur'an. It is modeled after a similar program implemented in Egypt in the 1990s.

Grand mosque (Mecca) & Kaaba

It is one of the two Holy Mosques in Saudi Arabia, and it is the most sacred mosque. On September 11, 2015 a collapse of the crane took place in Mecca, and more than 100 pilgrims were dead.

Wahhabism

It is the major faith in Saudi Arabia. It is a rigid and conservative part of Islam religion. People who practice _________ believe that others who don't practice ________ are enemies. This is also the logic for both ISIS and Osama Bin Laden.

King Saud (r. 1953-1964):

King of Saudi Arabia from ___ to ___. Upon King Abdulaziz's death in __, the eldest surviving son Saud acceded to the throne according to a line of succession. His extravagant lifestyle drove the Kingdom to the brink of bankruptcy, especially when Saudi Arabia was struggling economically. His reign was marked by a growing financial crisis, the plundering of state coffers and political and social turmoil. He was marginalized by his half-brother, Faisal and abdicated the throne to Faisal in 1964.

Saudi role in UNHRC (UN Human Rights Council)

Over the summer Saudi Arabia was appointed to head a panel at the UN Human Rights Council. The goal would be to examine specific human rights challenges: rights of women, rights of migrants, religious freedom, or sexual orientation. It is very ironic and hypocritical that Saudi Arabia would be placed in this position due to all of the unethical happening within the country, which upsets other members of the UN.

Saudi Intervention in Yemen (2015)

Saudi Arabia's decision to intervene (militarily) in Yemen was mainly because of the country's potential to fall into utter chaos. Because of Yemen's financial crisis, Iran's destructive influence in the country, and the Houthis (an insurgent group in northern Yemen) Yemen was turning into a rather chaotic place. To help stabilize their neighbors, Saudi Arabia supported Yemen in a number of ways. They supported the military, the security apparatus, helped fund education and social services, and provided health care along with many other governments services. This helped Yemen keep from falling into complete disorder.

Oil Price Slump (2015)

Saudi Arabian state-oil company, ARAMCO, has been cutting its oil prices since summer of 2015 to counter rival OPEC producers in the Gulf region as well as U.S. oil productions. Currently the price per barrel has dropped below $50. Saudi is determined to continue lowering the price while producing at large amounts to spike Asian demand and undercut U.S. productions. Due to the price drop, Saudi surplus has turned into a budget deficit, which is forcing the Saudi government to cut spending.

King Abdullah (r. 2005 (1995)-2015)

The king of Saudi Arabia and custodian of the two holy mosques from 2005 to his death in 2015. He ascended to the throne upon the death of his half-brother, King Fahd. Later became mayor of Mecca, his first public office. Was then appointed commander of the Saudi Arabian National Guard, a post he was still holding when he became king. King Abdullah began serving as de facto regent after King Fahd was incapacitated by a stroke in 1995.

King Faisal (r. 1965-1975)

The third son of King Abdulaziz. He cut spending dramatically to keep the state from having to file for bankruptcy. In December of 1960 Faisal resigned from the position but then was reinstated in 1962. Faisal introduced education for women and girls. During the first couple years of his reign he balanced the country's finances with the help of an increase in oil production. He kept close relations with the US and was anti-Communist and refused to make any political ties with the Soviet Union. He was assassinated by his nephew.

Committee for the Promotion of Virtue

This is known as "the religious policy". This committee is used to regulate citizens' social behaviors as well as enforce the Islamic moral law. The committee issued a long list of things both forbidden and permitted. Also, this policy has the power to arrest Saudis who engage in homosexual acts, violate public dress code, sell or consume alcohol and etc. The punishment for violating religious practice is severe, which includes beating and imprison for years.

Sharia Law

a basic Islamic legal system that deals with crime, politics, diet, religious practice, and social behavior. _____ is closely related to religious concepts and is derived from the Quran and the Hadith. Therefore _______ is considered in Islam as the law of God. Since the concept of justice, crime, and punishment of it is very different than that of secular law, it has been a topic of controversy regarding human rights and freedom.

Prince Bandar

a grandson of King Abdullaziz,for a time was the Saudi ambassador to United States, Secretary General of the Saudi National Security Council, and the head of Saudi Intelligence Agency. He has had close relationships with US presidents during his tenure as ambassador, and came under criticism during the 9/11 attacks, when Saudi-US relationship became tense due to Saudi support for Wahhabi ideology and Al Qaeda in the years leading up to 9/11.

"Women to Drive" movement

a group of Saudi Arabian women organized a this campaign that rebels against the religious and sexist beliefs that forbid women from driving. In order to raise awareness of this injustice, the women who partake in this campaign utilize social media to upload images and videos of Saudi's unjust and sexist law. Sadly, this movement has failed and women still aren't allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia. Occurred in 2011

Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, known as OPEC

founded in Iraq in September 1960. It is consisted of the world's major oil exporting countries and currently has 12 members. It works to avoid fluctuations in oil prices and provides technological and economic aids to its members. It holds about 40% of the world's crude oil and about 60% of petroleum traded internationally, so the organization influence the oil prices around the world.

Grand Mosque Seizure (1979)

happened from November to December of19_ _, when a group of extremist rebels took over Al-Masjid al-Haram in Mecca. Their plan was to overthrow the House of Saud, the ruling royal family of Saudi Arabia. Mohammed Abdullah al-Qahtani declared to be the leader of the group, who was later captured and killed. 63 of his fellow rebels were executed.

ARAMCO (Arabian-American Oil Company)

is Saudi Arabia's crude oil and natural gas company that originated in 1933 following the WW1 oil shortage. This company is currently worth around $7 trillion with 260 billion barrels of oil, making it the largest oil and gas company in the world.

King Fahd (r. 1982-2005)

king of Saudi Arabia who died of a stroke. While he was alive and in power he tried to diversify Saudi Arabia's economy, and worked to promote private enterprises. He also approved the first nationwide elections, which took place in 2005. One of his greatest accomplishments, however, was a group of projects he undertook to help the millions of people who come into the country every year (the pilgrims). The projects involved expanding the Holy Mosque in Makkah, airports and the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah.

Operation Desert Shield (1990)

operation ordered by President George H.W. Bush in response to Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990. US saw Iraq's invasion as a threat because Kuwait is one of the major exporters of US oil, and more importantly, Saudi Arabia is Kuwait's neighbor. The US sought help from the United Nations and defensed Saudi Arabia for possible attacks on Saudi Arabia from Iraq. President George H.W. Bush sent an ultimatum to Saddam saying that if he does not order his troops to leave Kuwait, the US will attack on Iraq. When there was no reply to this message, the US began bombing on Saddam's army in Kuwait and Iraq. Saddam launched missiles into Saudi Arabia and Israel as counterattacks. Soon, the Operation Desert Shield became Operation Desert Storm, which is better known as the Gulf War. At the end of the Gulf War, Kuwait was liberated from Iraqi occupation.

Samar Mohammad Badawi

she is a human rights activist in Islam who got remarried to a lawyer. Her abusive dad objected to this second marriage, and she was imprisoned for the second marriage due to Saudi Arabia's guardianship system, which limits women's freedom. After she was in prison, her husband started a social network campaign for her in twitter, and she was released in 2010. After her release, she started to campaign for women's freedom of marriage and vote. She was awarded the International Women Of Courage award by Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton

Saud bin Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (1940-2015)

was Saudi Arabia's former foreign minister under King Abdullah. During his forty years of serving, he dealt with many crises such as the Lebanon conflict in 1978, Palestinian uprising in 1987 and 2000, 9/11, and the Arab Spring in 2011. He also worked to lessen Iran's influence in the region, but he failed to come to an agreement with Iran to improve their diplomatic relations.

Rania al-Baz

was a well-known television presenter before she was nearly beaten to death by her husband. Her husband left her at the hospital and left without any word. When she recovered from her coma, she permitted the press to print her bruised face after beating and caused countrywide and global debate on the issue of domestic violence. As a public figure, she was able to communicate her message more effectively and open up discussion.She is now working with a human rights campaign to help women who is suffering from domestic violence in Saudi Arabia.

King Khaled (r. 1975-1982)

was the fourth ruler of Saudi Arabia.Ruler at a the time of massive development specifically on agricultural development and oil increase. He also established the second Five Year Plan that mostly focused on strengthening infrastructure and health plan.