Saudi Arabia's anti-witchcraft unit

In 2009 the Saudi religious police (the CPVPV) set up special units to investigate sorcery, train officers to dismantle spells and run a hotline for reporting witchcraft.

2009 CE · 24.71, 46.67 · status: official

The account

Hundreds of cases a year were reported in the following decade, including against foreign domestic workers. Courts relied on confessions and confiscated amulets as evidence.

The sceptical view

Rights groups argue the charge is vague and used against vulnerable people.

Connections in the atlas

• Fawza Falih's death sentence for witchcraft
• Execution of Amina bint Abdul Halim Nassar

Sources

1. Wikipedia: Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice (Saudi Arabia)
2. Wikipedia: Human rights in Saudi Arabia