June 3rd, 2016
Bahrain
Zainab al- Khawaja was released after a detainment period of over 2 months. Al- Khawaja was held under charges such as tearing photos of King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa, and was detained along with her 17 month old son, AbdulHadi. Officials had refused to release her son, earlier in the month of May.
On the 30th of May, Bahraini courts increased jail sentence of Sheikh Ali Salman to 9 years (previously 4). Salman was detained on charges of “disturbing the peace and explicit incitement toward disobeying the law”. Since the wake of the Arab Spring, Salman has been a cornerstone in democratic reform in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Also on that day, 10 pro-democracy advocates were detained and sentenced to life in jail, while 12 others were stripped of their citizenship. Two defendants were charged with 200.000 Dinars (530,448 USD) and all others were fined 10,983 Dinars (29,129 USD).
Iraq
Violations in Iraq continue as improvised explosive devices (IED’s) and gunfire target shia populated areas of Baghdad and Madain.
On May 30th, a series of blasts shook two major shia populated areas of Sadr city and Shaab, Baghdad killing 20 and injuring 50 others.
Thus far in the month of June, 19 Shia Muslims have been killed, 13 of which were centered in Baghdad. Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) and gunfire continue to threaten the lives of inhabitants of Shia neighborhoods of Baghdad and the city of Madain. On June 2, a suicide bomber detonated his vest as he sat inside a local taxi, killing four civilians.
Saudi Arabia
On the first of June, Saudi Arabian court’s sentence 14 shia muslims from Qatif were sentenced to death. Another nine people were given sentences ranging from three to 15 years. Structural anti-Shia sentiment within the Saudi kingdom continues to target the Shia population which consist of 15% of the Saudi citizenry, in discrimination and detainment.
Pakistan
Tension between Shia and non-Shia groups in Landhi, Karachi have lead to the death of Mohammad Abbas Jafari, a prominent member of the community. Jafari was shot by the terror group AhleSunnat –Wal-Jamaat (ASWJ) on January 1st near the Isna-e-Ashri Mosque. Four others were also wounded in the clash. On June 2, his funeral was held at Korangi J-1 in Karachi with the presence of numerous Shia leaders and scholars. Jafari’s brother, Haider Ali Jafari was also killed in a mosque attack in 2004. Locala activist have reported that little has been done by police forces to catch those responsible. Shia Rights Watch urges Pakistans leaders in increasing thier efforts to prosicute those responsible and furhter asks for more attention towards anti-shia sentiment in the region
