KHOBAR, Saudi Arabia: Friday prayer leader in Khobar city Sayed Mohammad Al-Nasser said that Saudi Shias will continue performing Friday prayers whatever the consequences are and that they are waiting for a royal resolution on the closure of Shia mosques.

Al-Nasser, a leading Saudi Shia scholar of Al-Khobar city, East of Saudi Arabia, said that "performing Jumaa prayers is our natural right as Muslims and as citizens loyal to their land and religion."

During Jumaa prayer which was held in a house in Al-Khobar, Al-Nasser condemned the religious discrimination among citizens where Sunnis are allowed to perform prayers in their mosques and Shia are not allowed do the same thing.

Authorities had already closed five Shia mosques in Khobar city where about 20,000 Shia citizens live according to unofficial sources.

Saudi authorities do not allow their Shia citizens to build their own mosques nor have their own cemeteries in areas outside Qatif, Al-Hasa and Najran where they are majority.

The official bodies in Eastern Province Governance and the Ministry of Religious Affairs do not provide reasons for the ban on Shia.

Al-Nasser said that Shia citizens are waiting for a royal decree by King Abdullah to resolve the issue of continuous closure of Shia mosques.

On July 19, a high level Shia delegation from Khobar met King Abdullah to brief him about the closure of Shia mosques and he promised to look in to the subject matter but so far there are no positive results.

Al-Nasser pointed out that some of the local officials encourage Shia, who visit them for complaint, to perform prayers in Sunni mosques instead of granting permission to build their own.

Al-Nasser said "we requested one of the Sunni mosques to allow us use their mosque during Ramadan but they refused unless we get a permission from Emara or Awqaf."

As a result, Shia citizens built a large tent to perform prayers during Ramadan.

Authorities called Hajj Abdullah Al-Muhana, the custodian of the tent, and forced him to sign an undertaking to remove the tent or he will be sent to jail.

Al-Nasser said that we are currently waiting in an anticipation to hear from the officials to resolve pending issues.

Human Rights Watch said in a report released recently that Saudi is practicing Systematic Discrimination and Hostility toward Saudi Shia Citizens.

State discrimination against Shia extends to realms other than religious freedom. The report cites discrimination in the education system, where Shia may not teach religion in class and Shia pupils learn from Sunni teachers that they are unbelievers.