Saudi Arabia's minority Shia, encouraged by their new monarch's pledge to serve all subjects fairly, have petitioned King Abdullah with requests for prisoner releases and equal opportunities. Shia are believed to make up around 10% of Saudi Arabia's native population of 16 million and complain of being marginalised by a government closely attached to religious conservatives who consider Shia beliefs heretical. Shia delegations from Saudi Arabia's oil-producing Eastern Province and its southern region of Najran have separately visited King Abdullah since his accession last month. "Our visit was mainly about political prisoners, asking for their release," said Jaafar al-Shayeb, from the Eastern Province where most of the country's Shia Muslims live. Five representatives from Najran's smaller Ismaili Shia community also handed Abdullah a list of requests 10 days ago when they met him to pledge allegiance. Their requests included the release of prisoners, a bigger role in state affairs and the return of Shia they said were forcibly moved from Najran after a fierce government crackdown five years ago.