On Sunday August 10, 2014, a large number of Bahraini Shia took to the streets on the island of
Sitra to show solidarity with Sheikh Nimr al Nimr who has been in Saudi Prison for two years. Sheikh Nimr was attacked and arrested while en route to his home in Saudi Arabia’s Al-Qatif region on July 8, 2012. The Sheikh was charged with disturbing the country’s security, giving anti-government speeches, and defending political prisoners.
These charges have earned the sheik a death sentence which has sparked outrage among the international community.
Amnesty International censured Saudi Arabia repeatedly over a host of human rights violations, including the oppression of the Shia minority. Shia Rights Watch has been a vocal critic of the Saudi government, citing article 9 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which prohibits the arbitrary arrest, detention, or exile, to condemn the arrest and sentencing of two Shia protestors earlier this year.
Update: The finer sentence that was supposed to be handed down on August 12, 2014 has been postponed.
