Incidents of Anti-Shiism, December 2024

Shia Rights Watch released its December 2024 report, detailing significant human rights violations targeting Shia Muslim individuals and communities across various countries. The six-page document highlights terror attacks, armed assaults, bombings, and systemic suppression and abuse in several nations.

The report underscores the challenges of documenting abuses due to limited access to reliable evidence and witnesses. It was compiled with the assistance of human rights activists and civil organizations, although many violations likely remain undocumented.

Summary of Violations by Country

Pakistan

1. Humanitarian Crisis in Parachinar (Dec 1): Extremist groups have imposed a military siege on Parachinar for over two months, causing severe shortages of food, medicine, and fuel. Official reports indicate 128 children have died in the last 85 days due to lack of medicine. Authorities delivered one ton of medical supplies via helicopter.
2. Gruesome Killings (Dec 22): Terrorists in Parachinar abducted and executed two Shia residents, Ishaq Hussain and Waseem Abbas, documenting their brutal murder in a video.
3. Arrest of Shia Cleric (Dec 22): Security forces arrested Shia cleric Sayyed Yashan Ali at Islamabad Airport after he fled Syria due to threats from extremist groups.

Bahrain

1. Medical Neglect in Prison (Dec 5): Prisoner Hussein Ali Aman died due to deliberate medical negligence in Bahrain’s notorious Jau Prison.
2. Ban on Shia Friday Prayers: Authorities have continued blocking the largest Shia Friday congregational prayers in Diraz for 13 consecutive weeks, deploying heavy security forces.
3. Health Crisis (Dec 9): The health of detainee Ammar Abdulghani has severely deteriorated due to neglect in Jau Prison, raising fears of his death.
4. Violent Crackdown on Prison Protest (Dec 9): Security forces raided prison buildings to end protests following Aman’s death. Tear gas and batons were used, causing severe injuries among detainees.
5. Sectarian Job Discrimination (Dec 15): Reports revealed continued exclusion of Shia citizens from government jobs, with preference given to foreign workers granted citizenship.

Lebanon

1. Family Killed in Israeli Airstrike (Dec 3): An Israeli strike killed six members of a family, including a child and a woman, in Haris, southern Lebanon.
2. Terror Attack in Tripoli (Dec 11): Extremists attacked a bus driver for refusing to denounce his Shia faith.
3. Abduction of Refugees (Dec 29): Armed groups in Tripoli kidnapped several Shia refugees from Syria, leaving their fate unknown.

Syria

1. Blocked Evacuation (Dec 3): Extremist groups prevented the Syrian Red Crescent from evacuating over 2,000 displaced civilians from Nubl and Al-Zahraa, resulting in multiple deaths due to harsh conditions.
2. Desecration of Religious Shrines: Attacks on Alawite and Shia sites included vandalizing the shrine of Abu Abdullah al-Husseini and killing its caretakers (Dec 6).