Shia Rights Watch (SRW) released its monthly report detailing the most prominent human rights violations committed against Shia Muslims worldwide for March 2023.
The report highlights several terrorist attacks by extremist groups against Shia Muslims and the oppression and persecution they experience from some governments and regimes based on their religious beliefs.
SRW stresses that the current report contains information based on its reliable sources and the network of local freedoms and human rights activists in the countries subject to these violations.
SRW has refrained from including certain violations or incidents that might have occurred in its report due to the absence of concrete evidence.
SRW stresses that its activities are not motivated by political objectives or financial gains but aim to achieve justice and equality.
The countries are listed in alphabetical order:
Afghanistan
On March 14th, IS-K (Islamic State – Khurasan Province) detonated a ‘parcel bomb’ targeting a group of journalists who had gathered for a ceremony at a Shiite Tebyan Cultural Centre in Mazar-e-Sharif, capital of Balkh province, left at least three journalists dead and 30 wounded, including children.
On March 20th, A roadside bomb hit a passenger bus killing six people and wounding others, as it traveled through the western province of Ghor.
Bahrain
On March 3rd, the authorities in Bahrain canceled a number of industrial high school students exam results considering them to have failed their year after finding them allegedly guilty of rallying on school campus
On March 5th, security forces arrested four citizens, including two women, citing human rights sources, for demanding the release of their sons detained on sectarian charges in regime prisons.
On March 6th, security forces arrested Ali Hussein Abbas from the Bilad Al-Qadeem area, allegedly due to his civil activity.
On March 6th, Three family members were arrested: the security authorities arrested Mrs. Fadilah Abdul Rasoul, her husband Mr. Al-Sayed Redha, and her brother Mr. Al-Sayed Jafar Al-Sayed Musa allegedly due to their civil activity.
On March 7th, the security forces allegedly arrested Mustafa Al-Sayed Mohammed, a young man from southern Sehla town, due to his civil activities.
On March 8th, security authorities allegedly arrested Sayed Haider, a young man from Buri town, due to his civil activities.
On March 8th, the security authorities arrested Mohammed Mirza, a young man from Karzakan town, allegedly due to his civil activities.
On March 8th, the administration of Bahrain’s Notorious Jau Prison, citing human rights sources, continues depriving the political prisoner Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja of his right to medical treatment despite his deteriorating health condition, ignoring international calls to treat him.
On March 10th, the security authorities arrested Hassan Khalid Khamees from Sanabis town upon returning to holy shrines in Iraq.
On March 11th, security authorities allegedly arrested three social media activists, Ibrahim Al-Manai, Qassim Al-Hajeri, and Ali Hasan, along with human rights activist Ibrahim Khalil, during the Union Conference in Manama due to their human rights activities on social media.
On March 12th, the security authorities arrested the juvenile boy Mahdi Mitham from the village of Al-Murkh as part of their arbitrary crackdown against Shia citizens.
On March 15th, the security authorities arrested the juvenile boy Ahmad Al-Sayed Raed Al-Mousawi from the village of Al-Deraz as part of their oppressive practices against Shia citizens.
On March 14th, the administration of Bahrain’s Notorious Jau Prison, citing human rights sources, continues depriving the political prisoner’s Sheikh Mohammad Habib Al-Muqdad and Sheikh Mirza Al-Mahrous of their right to medical treatment despite their deteriorating health conditions.
Iraq
On March 1st, ISIS kidnaps and kills herders in Karbala: The terrorist organization ISIS executed two herders by burning them alive after kidnapping five herders in the city of Nukhayb in Karbala province. The fate of three of the abductees is still unknown.
On March 3rd, Deaths and injuries in a bombing in Diyala: A roadside bomb planted by terrorists in the village of Al-Haziniya in Diyala province resulted in the killing of five people and the injury of three others.
On March 7th, One person was killed and two injured in a bombing in Amerli: A roadside bomb planted by terrorists in Amerli resulted in the killing of one person and the severe injury of two others.
On March 8th, One person was killed and another injured in Tuz Khurmatu: An attack by ISIS on the town of Tuz Khurmatu resulted in the death of one person and the injury of another.
On March 10th, ISIS attacked near Muqdadiyah: The terrorist organization attacked light and medium machine guns in the village of Al-Binkani near Muqdadiyah.
On March 29th, One person was killed and three injured in Diyala: An attack by ISIS on a village on the outskirts of Al-Khalis in Diyala province resulted in the killing of one person and the injury of three others.
Saudi Arabia
On March 1st, Arrest of a human rights activist during her Umrah: Human rights activists revealed that Saudi security authorities arrested the Egyptian Shia activist Rania Al-Asaal during her Umrah due to, allegedly, her continuous criticism of the Saudi-led war in Yemen.
On March 1st, a Lebanese citizen revealed the details of his arrest and torture in Saudi prisons: The Shia Lebanese engineer Ali Ahmad Mazid revealed that Saudi authorities detained him for a year and a half on sectarian grounds, concealing his fate unknown to his family and subjecting him to torture and arbitrary interrogation, before releasing him due to the lack of evidence of any crime or offense being committed by him.
On March 7th, Execution of Shia opinion prisoner Haider Al-Tuhayyifah by Saudi authorities: The security authorities executed the Shia opinion prisoner Haider Al-Tuhayyifah from Al-Qatif allegedly due to his human rights activities. Moreover, The authorities refused to hand over his body to his relatives and banned them from holding funeral services.
Syria
On March 4th, extremist groups attacked in Syrian Deir ez-Zor, a convoy of buses taking Iraqi Shia pilgrims on their way to the sacred sites in the neighbouring country, resulting in serious injuries that required some of them to be sent to Al-Bukamal hospital.
