King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia dies

How do Saudis view their country today as control passes from King Abdullah to his half-brother, King Salman?

We hear from Saudis and others on the country’s political and human rights record, its future, the pace of reforms and the opportunities for women.

Was King Abdullah a modernising influence, pushing against hardline clerics for greater freedoms and more flexible interpretations of harsh laws? Or an autocrat concerned above all to preserve his family’s ruling position and deal punitively with his critics?

(Photo: King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz. Credit: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images)