#Breaking The terrorist attack on Shia Mosque in Afghanistan’s Mazar-e-Sharif left 35 dead and more than 90 Shia Muslims wounded.
Since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, the attack on the Shia Mosque has become normal. A couple of days ago, the attack in Dhashte-e-Barchi in western Kabul killed six students and wounded more than 15 Shia Muslims.
Shia rights watch holds the Taliban responsible for these attacks. Shia Muslims should be able to defend their community as before and create their security to protect their place of worship.
#antishiism
#Hazara #Balkh
#mazarsharifattack
#mazarsharif
Terrorist attack on Mazar-i-sharif left 35 killed and 90 Shia wounded.
Saudi Government executed 41 Shia
This weekend, Saudi authorities executed 41 Shia from the eastern province with a false accusation. The court system has convicted innocent Shia Muslims and sentenced them to death via the sword.
Developments in Afghanistan and Pakistan and impact on Shias
You are invited to attend the
IRF SUMMIT VIRTUAL SIDE EVENT (ZOOM)
“Developments in Afghanistan and Pakistan and impact on Shias”
When: Jul 16, 2021 12:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Incidents of Anti-Shiism, May 2021
Shia Rights Watch continues monitoring international anti-Shia violence. Events noted in this statement are a collection of violence against Shia Muslims reported by grassroots activists and journalists. Shia Rights Watch highlights that this report samples the true scope of anti-Shiism.
In the month of May, violence from the nations of Afghanistan, Bahrain, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Syria were reported. Shia Muslims are targeted individually and in groups by terror organizations and through lacking due-process enforced by structural anti-Shiism.
Afghanistan
On the tenth of May, the detonation of a bus in Pul Matak of the Parwan Province resulted in the death of 11 and the injury of 25 others. Many of those on the bus were women and children.
In a separate incident of violence on the same day, a roadside bomb exploded, resulting in the death of dozens. Two were killed.
Kabul remains a hotbed for violence against Shia Muslims. Early in the month, two gunmen fired machine guns towards two Hazara civilians, killing them instantly. Investigations have found the two assailants to be members of local extremist groups.
In Kabul, a bomb placed inside a mosque in the Shakar Dara area detonated, killing 12 and wounding 15 worshippers.
Late in the month, another incident in which passengers were targeted took place. On the 29th, a roadside bomb detonated in Parwan district, as a bus carrying University professors and students passed. The detonation killed four and 13 others were wounded as a result of the incident.
In Kapisa Province, a missile bombing targeted a wedding party resulting in the death of 10 and the wounding of eight others.
Bahrain
On the sixth of May, authorities arrested Muhammad Hatem and sentenced him to three months in detention of charges of participating in religious congregation.
Sources reveal video and audio evidence of torture used on a resident of al-Malikiyah. Activists have long reported violence against Shia Muslim detainees. Those held in Jaws Prison report the use of violence, threats against family members, and false promises.
Iraq
In the month of May, a mass grave was discovered in Nasiriyah holding the bodies of more than 700 children, women, and men. Investigations show the causes of death to be by immolation.
Violence against Shia Muslims by the hands of ISIS continues across Iraq. National authorities have thwarted numerous attacks throughout the country. Nonetheless, armed offences targeting the security of the nation continue.
Shia Muslims residing in the nation’s capital face unparalleled violence in the hands of terror groups. On the 13th of May, authorities thwarted a bombing attempt and arrested an assailant with ties to ISIS. The bomb targeted civilian gathering areas during Eid celebrations.
The frequency of targeting of individuals Shia Muslims by gunshots continues to be of concern in cities such as Baghdad. Shia Muslims identified by their faith are targeted by unidentified gunmen, shot and left for authorities to find. Locals have reported five separate instances of individual assassinations. Local inquiry points to higher death counts that go unreported.
In Diyala, ISIS assailants launched coordinated attacks in the Governorate. They targeted villages, power transmission infrastructure and security points. Many civilians were injured and killed. A number of others were kidnapped and their whereabouts remain unknown.
In Tuz Khurmatu, missile bursts caused infrastructural and material damage all across the city.
ISIS attacks have also taken place in Daqaq and Samarra.
Nigeria
Violence against Shia Muslims in Nigeria continues as authorities open fire on peaceful protestors. On the seventh of May, Nigerian security forces opened fire on protestors calling for the release of Sheikh Zakzaky and his wife.
No new developments have been reported in the case of Sheikh Zakzaky and his wife.
Pakistan
Despite promises of protecting Shia Muslims against violence, Shia Rights Watch notes no explicit security or counterterror measures have been announced across Pakistan. Shia Muslims report experience living in fear of being targeted by terrorists which run rampant all over the nation.
In Quetta City, the explosion of a roadside device injured five civilians.
In Karachi, terror groups targeted a funeral ceremony. Sources report that assailants opened fire on participants injuring dozens of people.
Late in the month, peaceful demonstrations in the city of Chaman were the target of a bomb. Assailants placed an explosive device in the location of the demonstration. The device was detonated while participants gathered resulting in the death of six. Many were wounded.
Saudi Arabia
Detainee Zuhair Ali al-Mohammed was found deceased while in detention. Sources report the cause of death to be a function of torture followed by neglect.
Shia Muslims in Saudi Arabia make up a minority, largely populating the Eastern Province. Many Shia Muslims report practicing their faith in private in fear of facing discrimination.
Families of those prosecuted have expressed concern for their loved ones and report lacking un-biased due-process.
Syria
Shia Muslims in Syria face heightened risk of targeting by terror organizations amidst national and political turmoil.
Toxic substance ends the life of a Shiite preacher in Aleppo countryside: Medical and human rights reports revealed the assassination of religious preacher Ahmed al-Jumaili with a toxic substance in the city of Maskana.
Perpetrators of the act of violence have yet to be identified.
Hazara Face Continued Violence: Is There an End?
Shia Rights Watch expresses its deepest concern for the lives of the Hazara population in Afghanistan following the recent bombings in Kabul. For far too long have the Hazara people lived with targets on their back while the world turns a blind eye to the violence that plague their lives.
On Saturday, May 8, a bomb detonated outside Kabul’s Syed Al-Shahda school for girls in Dasht-e-Barchi, killing 80 and injuring 147 others. The school was filled with students of the 11th and 12th grade.
The majority of those killed were students between the ages of 13-18.
Dasht-e-Barchi is largely populated by Shia Muslim.
Violence against Hazara Shia Muslims
The targeted nature of the bomb points to motivations based in extremism against Shia Muslims. The Hazara people are a population long identified as members of the Shia Muslim identity.
Hazara have faced very harsh and inhumane treatment throughout history. Once the largest ethnic group in the country, only make up 9 percent of the Afghan population today.
An estimated 60% of their population was exterminated during the 1890’s genocide of Hazaras in Afghanistan. During and after the genocide, Hazaras lands were confiscated and distributed , and tens of thousands of Hazaras men, women, and children were sold as slave. It is also reported that tens of thousands of Hazara captives were sold.
Labeled as ‘heretics.’ extremist groups including but not limited to the Taliban and ISIS, continue to dehumanize the Hazara and justify their brutal killings.
Local and National Responses
Afghan president Ashraf Ghani tweeted his condemnation after the attack, by casting responsibility on the Taliban. He noted the group’s unwillingness to support peace agreements.
No acknowledgement of the Hazara populations endangerment and failure to protect the population have been made by any of the country’s officials.
The Constitution of Afghanistan has several clauses which provide protection to minorities, including the Shia Hazara. The citizens of Afghanistan, man and woman, have equal rights and duties before the law. The Afghan government is responsible for protection and safety for all of the nations populace regardless of race or creed.
None-the-less, Shia populated areas of the country face the highest rates of violence and are supported with disproportionately less resources aimed at violence prevention.
President Ashraf Ghani along with all other national and local officials in Afghanistan are responsible for every life lost as a result of extremism in the country.
Call for Change
While the Taliban has denied involvement on Twitter through the group’s spokesman, Zabiullah Mujahid, sources report an increase in violence across the country following the announcement of withdrawal of NATO and U.S. forces on May 1. Taliban perpetrators have attacked cities and towns they identified as most vulnerable.
And given the vulnerability of Shia populated areas of the country, Shia Rights Watch expresses concern for the future of the Hazara population.
Shia Rights Watch calls on the international community to hold the Afghan government responsible for failing to protect members of the Hazara community.
It’s time for Afghan officials to do more than tweet condemnation to violence against the Shia minority.
It’s time for real change that protects innocent children against violence.
Incidents of Anti-Shiism, April 2021
Anti-Shiism in the forms of arrests, sentencing, lack of due process, injury, and killing reported to Shia Rights Watch spanned the international community in the month of April.
Reports of violence listed in this report have been verified through collaboration with grassroot advocates and confirmed by local investigations.
Shia Rights Watch notes incidents of violence on the basis of identity are often unreported by victims in fear of further violence and alienation. Trends listed in this report represent a fraction of Anti-Shiism faced by the international Shia Muslim community.
More information in regards to individual incidents can be found at ShiaRightsWatch.org.
Afghanistan
Anti-Shiism across Afghanistan spanned Jalalabad, Herat, and Kabul.
On April 15, a car bomb detonated in Jalalabad, resulting in the death and injury of many Shia Muslims. Locals reported extensive property damage.
In Herat, 24 incidents of violent attacks were instigated by extremism. Much of the attacks targeted the local government, and as Herat is rich in the presence of Shia Muslims, many individuals of this minority groups were killed and injured. On the 8th of April, shootings at the Second Police District resulted in the death of one civilian and the injury of another. Later in the month, the bodies of two civilians, one of which was female, were found in the Injil district. Officials have announced ill-will but not the identity of the responsible assailants. On the same day, in Darb-e-Iraq, gunmen shot and killed a civilian and in the Golran district, and the detonation of a car bomb killed four.
Civilians were killed in Obeh district both on April 27 and 28 in cross fire between police and the Taliban.
In Kabul, one was killed and nine others were wounded in a bombing that targeted security personnel.
Despite the existence of targeted violence in the country of Afghanistan, authorities have not announced any direct efforts to protect those most vulnerable to terror attacks.
Bahrain
In Bahrain, the authorities announced the intention to release 199 prisoners under the Alternative Penal Code.
Among those released is Mohammed Jawad Parwiz, the uncle of prominent activist Nabeel Rajab. Parwiz was arrested in 2011 for his activism. Others released include, but is not limited to the followin: Sayed Kamel Al-Hashemi, arrested in 2016 and detained in 2018 for “insulting the King of Bahrain, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, in a Friday sermon at a mosque in Barbar and Ma’atam in Bani Jamra,” and “inciting hatred against a sect”; Maytham Zuhair, arrested in 2020; and Ali Jassem Al-Ghanimi, one of 124 police officers who sympathized with protestors.
For those who remain in detention, violent repression continues. The United Nations Human Rights Office announced concern for the “unnecessary and disproportionate” force used against detainees. In a press conference, spokesperson Marta Hurtado called for immediate and thorough investigation into violence in the hands of police officers at Jaws Prison.
Police officers at Jaws Prison injured detainees by throwing “stun grenades and beat detainees on their heads.” Sources reported that 33 protesters were taken to a secondary location and kept “incommunicado and unable to make contact with family and lawyers.”
The violence came after detainees organized sit-ins in protest to the lacking conditions they faced, including the authorities failure to meet medical needs which resulted in the death of multiple detainees such as Abbas Malallah.
Hurtado stated, “The spread of the pandemic in Bahrain’s prisons has sparked protests across the country. In response, the authorities have detained dozens of protesters for breaching COVID-19 restrictions…In particular, those being detained for expression of critical or dissenting views, protected by international human rights law, should be released immediately.”
Medical negligence on the part of prison authorities took mainstream spotlight with the death of Abbas Ali Hassan Malallah. On April 6, Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior Prisons Directorate announced Malallah’s death, citing he “died a natural death early this morning, after suffering a heart attack, per the coroner’s report.”
Prisoners with Malallah report that he had asked for medical attention the day before his death, complaining of severe pain in his chest and abdomen. The prison administration denied his request.
Advocates counter the claims made within the statement that Malallah did not have a chronic illness. Malallah suffered from colon and stomach ulcers, as well as physical ailments as a result of torture, all of which were denied treatment while in Jaws Prison.
In the month of April, new arrests of protestors and activists were also made. The arrests included vocalist Hussein Sahwan, brothers of Muhammad al-Daqqaq, brother of Mohammad Ramadan, Hassan Khaled, Ahmen Yusef al-Sami, Ahmed Ali kazem, Ali Hussein al-Sami, and Hussein Ali Khalil.
Maytham Zuhair who was recently released under the alternative penal code was rearrested shortly after his release.
Family members of those detained report torture and mistreatment as means of obtaining false confessions and expressed concern for the safety of their loved ones.
Iraq
Gunmen in Baghdad target Shia Muslims across the city. Individuals identified as Shia Muslim have been targeted by assailants yet to be identified with silencers.
In addition to individual assassination’s, bombings in prominent Shia Muslim areas maximize death counts. On the 15th of April, a bomb detonation in the Habibiya area, east of Baghdad led to the death of 12 civilians. Later in the month, a roadside bomb north of Baghdad killed four.
Despite efforts to counter ISIS activity in the country, violence against Shia Muslims in Iraq’s capital continues to claim lives of innocent civilians, many being women and children undergoing everyday tasks.
Anti-Shia violence also took place in Diyala, Khanaqin, Tikrit, Karbala, and Kirkuk. All locations in which Shia Muslims live in non-Shia majority areas rich in targeted ISIS activity.
In Diyala, bombing associated with ISIS rocked the city on the 21st, 23rd, 24th, 27th, 28th, and 30th.
Frequent bombings across the country have enforced lack of security for Shia Muslim residents. While the country is one of few with high number of Shia Muslim residents, it remains an unsafe nation with frequent anti-Shia violence.
Pakistan
A hotel bombing in Balochistan resulted in the death of four and injury of 10 others. Officials reported the hosting of the Chinese ambassador at the hotel as the possible motivation of the bombing.
Saudi Arabia
Early in the month, residents of Qatif reported harassment by security forces.
While many congregated on the occasion of 15th of Sha’ban, a day of religious expression, security forces cracked down on participants, limiting their expressions and calling for disbursement.
Those who protest conditions face harsh retaliation.
Flashback Friday, April 23, 2021
Protests continue across Bahrain,
Protests occur on a daily basis across the country as Bahraini’s call for the release of prisoners.
Each night within the month of Ramadan, individuals peacefully walk the streets, calling for reform in the system that has long denied due-process, forced false confessions, and wrongfully prosecuted those who voice their beliefs.
Destruction of Shia Religious Sites in Saudi Arabia,
Activists report demolishing of Mosques servicing Shia Muslims in Qatif.
In a video published on Twitter, Saudi forces demolish a religious site in front of the al-Mulaha and Umm Al-Hammam schools.
Shia Muslims have long reported limitations in religious expression by the hands of Saudi authorities.
Bombings shake cities across Iraq
Iraqi forces report two terror attacks in Diyala, Iraq. The attacks were in the forms of vehicle detonations and have resulted in the death of three and the injury of four others.
On the same day, 3 rockets shook Baghdad.
Shia Rights Watch notes an increase in violence in the hands of terror groups, namely ISIS, in recent weeks.
Flashback Friday, April 16, 2021
Protests across Bahrain call for the unconditional release of political prisoners
Following the death of Abbas Hassan Malallah, protests erupt in Bahrain calling for the release of political prisoners.
Authorities responded to the protests with violence – numerous peaceful protesters have been arrested.
Negligence on the part of authorities has angered Bahraini nationals.
Local activists note Malallah’s death to be due to negligence on the part of prison authorities.
Eyewitnesses report prison authorities took 45 minutes to respond to Malallah’s collapse . On-duty guards took delayed measures to call for medical help and the delay led to the death of the detainee.
Incidents of Anti-Shiism, March 2021
March 2021 stood witness to continued violence against Shia Muslims. Anti-Shiism in the forms of arrests, sentencing, lack of due process, injury, and killing reported to Shia Rights Watch spanned four countries.
The reports of violence listed in this report have been verified through collaboration with grassroot advocates and confirmed by local investigations.
Shia Rights Watch notes incidents of violence on the basis of identity are often unreported by victims in fear of further violence and alienation. Trends listed in this report represent a fraction of Anti-Shiism faced by the international Shia Muslim community.
Afghanistan
Locals report 91 incidents of direct violence in the nation of Afghanistan, spanning from the cities of Herat, Kabul and Nangarhar.
Among attacks are the following.
Kabul, the capital of the nation, is home to prominent attacks against Shia Muslims. Early in the month, two attacks kill 3 and injure 12 Shia Individuals. Within days, another attack kills one and injures one other.
In Herat, a car bomb killed seven and injured at least 50 others. The bomb caused indiscriminate damage as many of those affected by the bomb were women and children. Locals further reported massive infrastructural damage in residential and commercial buildings.
In Nangarhar, separate roadside bombs kill one and injure another in the city of Jalalabad.
Shia Muslims in Afghanistan exist as a minority group. None-the-less, they occupy major cities such as Kabul and Herat. They play significant roles in the development of the country. However, due to the prominent Anti-Shia sentiment, their role in the nation is largely undermined.
Bahrain
In the month of March, concerns over progression of COVID-19 in detention centers across Bahrain. Activists voiced concerns as authorities ignore basic human needs and fail to meet the medical needs of detainees.
The spread of Covid-19 in detention centers continues. This week, Abd Ali Al-Singace tested positive. Al-Singace suffers from chronic disease that puts him at increased risk.
Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney voiced concern over human rights violations against political dissidents in Bahrain early in the month. He noted the denial of medical treatment to Shia detainees and called for the immediate release of Hassan Mushaima, the secretary-general of the Haq Movement. Ali Mushaima, son of Hassan Mushaima, reports his father’s deteriorating health and Bahrain’s lack of compliance to the UN’s Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, also known as the Mandela Rules.
Sheikh Qassim, the prominent Shia cleric, also called for the immediate release of political prisoners. He furthered that the release of prisoners is the first step in successful reconciliation between critics and the government.
“The release of political prisoners and all prisoners of the political movement is necessary for justice and will be a serious introduction to reform if it happens”
Shia Muslims in Bahraini detention centers face inhumane hardships. Authorities fail to ensure safety for the detainees and frequently ignore reports of violence.
The family of Shaikh Zuhair Ashour reported attempted murder at the hands of a prisoner detained on charges of rape and drug-related charges. In a statement, the family expressed concerns for Shaikh Ashour.
“On Sunday (March 14, 2021), at 2 PM, while Sheikh Zuheir was going to the prison’s yard (the fence), he decided to head to the television hall at first. The criminal prisoner was at the same place, and as soon as Sheikh Zuheir was about to leave the hall after spending some minutes watching television, the prisoner attacked him from behind and tried to strangle him and break his neck. Sheikh Zuheir defended himself and could escape. While Sheikh Zuheir was attempting to defend himself, the prisoner’s officers came and took the criminal prisoner to another place.”
Bahrain’s failure to protect and meet the needs of it’s detainees is in large part due to negligence.
Iraq
Across Baghdad, Kadhimiya, Diyala, Kirkuk, Karbala, and Saladin, Anti-Shiism has led to the death of 21 and the injury of 33 others.
Despite a reduction in ISIS activity being reported by the authorities, Shia Rights Watch notes continued targeted violence against Shia Muslims by the extremist organization. While a number are foiled, there remains a high prevalence of violence in the hands of Shia Muslims.
In many cases, Shia individuals are assassinated by gunmen who go unpunished. Mass-violence is also seen in locations with religious significance to Shia Muslims.
On March 9, suicide bombers threw 2 hand grenades into a crowd of pilgrims in Kadhimiya, north of Baghdad. One of the bombs detonated in a garbage can near the al-Aimmah Bridge, while the other was thrown directly into the crowd of pilgrims traveling on foot to the local shrines in a commemorative ceremony. Local authorities report three assailants had already been detained and their plots had been foiled.
Later in the month, authorities in Karbala, a major hub for Shia Muslims, reported the arrest of an assailant traveling on a bus. The assailant feigned ailment to avoid scrutiny.
Saudi Arabia
In the month of March, nine incidents of direct violence were reported to Shia Rights Watch. The majority of Anti-Shiism reported was perpetuated by the authorities.
Family of martyrs Ahmed and Hadi Tariq al-Faraj and the al-Salma family reported raids on their homes.
Two were arrested from the al-Salma family.
Shia Rights Watch notes violence against Shia Muslims in Saudi Arabia is largely systemic and cultural. None-the-less, direct violence is frequent and perpetual.
