Summary of Special Rapporteur report on Discrimination against Shia in Bahrain

March, 2016

Summary of Special Rapporteur report on Discrimination against Shia in Bahrain

Philip Alston, Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, and Heiner Bielefeldt, Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, stated receiving concerning alleged patterns of continuous discrimination against Shia citizens (mainly Baharna and Ajam), which have been taking place since 2011 and are undermining their rights to freedom of religion, expression, and culture.

Shia Rights Watch has compiled summaries of each of these cases; you may find them below:

At the United Nations Human Rights Council, Special Rapporteurs reported discrimination against Shia in Bahrain such as…

Violence including arrest, torture, use of force
Destruction of places of worship
Destruction of signs of the presence of Shia citizens in the country
Shia marginalization
Misinformation regarding their religious and cultural identity through the educational system and the media
Citizenship revocation
Education and employment violations

Violence

In the immediate aftermath of the 2011 protest movement, the Bahraini authorities have targeted influential leaders of the political opposition as well as citizen protesters, in addition to the excessive use of force against political opposition and protestors. It is alleged that repressive actions have been particularly aimed at, or were used specifically against Baharna and Ajam citizens; distinct ethnical groups whose members predominantly belong to the Shia faith.

Shia Heritage and Identity:

According to the report, Bahraini government has demolished or restricted access to several Shia mosques that were religiously and culturally significant. This included the three centuries old Abu Dharr Mosque and Al Khamis, one of the oldest Shia mosques in the peninsula.
Bahraini authorities censor education and historical narratives to marginalize the history of Shia’s, specifically Baharana’s, existence in the country for centuries. Increasing effort after 2011 is to associate Shia with Safavid loyalists who are foreign led and therefore do not share historical background with the rest of the population.

Media and Communication:

Numerous journalists and independent communication activists have been arrested, fined, and pressured to close protest and civil unrest coverage.
State media and information services use their outlets to spread hate speeches.
The Cyber Safety Directorate created in November 2013, blocks access in Bahrain to numerous websites expressing views about the Shia belief.

Employment and Housing:

Shia are excluded in almost all governmental positions. Although the government hires foreigners at department of education, Shia cannot be employed by the departments. Limitation in employment resulted in unemployment and therefore many Shia have to live in underprivileged areas that often lack clean water and other important services.

Citizenship:

As of 2008, 2,000 people are stateless and majority of them belong to Shia groups such as Ajam and Bahrainis. Such status oppresses Shia furthermore as they cannot access social welfare, education, and employment. As the result this population often ends up living in poverty.

Based on presented report, the following articles were violated by the Bahraini government…

Articles 2, 18, 19, 20, 26, and 27 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political rights (ICCPR)
Article 2, 6, 9, 11, 13, and 15 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR),
Articles 5 and 7 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD),
Article 29 of the International Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)

SRW, along with other human rights NGOs, has been reporting such violations and this recent report by Special Rapporteurs is further evidence that the Bahraini government is violating many international laws including its own constitution in some cases and must be hold responsible for its actions by international committees.

Read original report here:

Shia Rights Watch Engagement at the 31st Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council “The Shia Predicament in the GCC”

The Shia Predicament in the GCC.

On March 9, 2015 Shia Rights Watch’s Saudi Arabia expert participated in an item 3 Interactive Dialogue on Freedom of Religion or Belief, addressing the GCC discrimination toward Shia Muslims at 31st session of the United Nation Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Click here to download a PDF.

Mr. President

Shia Muslims in the GCC states of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, UAE & Qatar are facing a crisis that threatens their existence. Gulf Shia’s have been the main target of GCC governments and ISIS terrorists alike. Over 350 Shia’s have been killed in mosque bombings in Saudi and Kuwait, and by Saudi and Bahraini police, death squads, and executions.

Gulf governments have marginalized Shia’s for generations, and built economic, educational, cultural and political barriers before them. Shia majority in Bahrain is treated in similar fashion, to how South African Apartheid treated the black majority.

The Saudi government bans the building of Shia mosques in Riyadh, and seeks to execute 30 Shia professionals for planning a Shia gathering in Makkah. GCC governments restricts Shia access to senior government positions, such as diplomats, ministers, judges, security officers, and religious officials. There is no Shia mayor in Saudi Arabia. Shia women suffer even more.

As if they were invisible, Gulf governments ban Shia from expressing their faith and culture on state and private media, and bans the teaching of Shia Islam at any educational institution. Saudi school textbooks cast Shia’s as enemies of Islam, as polytheists, and Jewish manifestations. Anti-Shia xenophobia and sectarian incitements –precursors of violence– are often repeated by Gulf officials without repercussions.

Saud Bin Naif, governor of the Eastern Province said this about Shia Arabs, “the offspring of Abdullah Ibn Sabba, the Jew, the Safavids who come out with their ugly faces.” The Saudi government runs the sectarian TV network Wesal, which operates from Riyadh and incite violence and hatred against Shia.

Dubai police Chief Dhahi Khalfan called for the forced conversion of Gulf Shia’s to Sunnism. Qatari government-backed Sheikh Yousef AlQardawi, frequently incite hatred and xenophobia against Shia. The same is true for AlJazeera Arabic. We hope your council appoint a special rapporteur to address the conditions of the Shia Muslim communities in the Gulf, as part of religious freedom and xenophobia; and to ensure an end to incitement, violence, and marginalization.

Thank you

Shia Rights Watch issues its 2015 Annual Report

Infographic_Shia Rights Watch_2015Report

SRW annual Casualty Report, depicting cases of anti-Shiism throughout the past year including cases of arrest, injury, murder, and detainment. Based on in depth research of SRW, an average of, twenty-nine to thirty Shia Muslims were killed, arrested, or wounded on a daily basis in 2015.

“2015” reports 5093 Shia Muslims are killed, 5416 wounded, and 431 arrested during between January 1^st to December 31^st, 2015. Both state and non-state agents such as ISIS have claimed responsibility for these attacks, making the Shia people largely unsafe in 25 countries around the world; Shia have claimed to feeling insecure in 50% of all Islamic nations.

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Shia News Wire #57

February 27^th to March 4^th/ 2016

Iraq

On Sunday February 28, 2016, a twin suicide bombing of which ISIS claimed responsibility, killed at least 70 people in a Shia majority district of Baghdad. According to police, the bombers were riding motorcycles through a crowded mobile phone market called Mredi Market in Sadr City when they blew themselves up killing 70, and wounding approximately 112 others. Of these 112 people, 28 are reported to being critically wounded. 5 people were declared to be missing following these attacks. The injured are still being held at the hospital in order to recover.

In another attack on Sunday February 28, suicide bomb blasts killed 31 Shia Muslims. Suicide bombers and armed men in cars attacked Abu Ghraib targeting a cemetery this led to the deaths of 17 people.

On Monday February, 29^th, approximately 38 people were reported to being killed and 58 people were injured after a bomb blast to a funeral in Muqdadiya, Diyala province. The funeral was of a Shia militia fighter. The death toll has been rising due to many perilous injuries.

Tuesday March 1^st, two different attacks by ISIS in Baghdad left at least 13 people dead and 31 murdered. One included an attack a militant broke into a soldier’s home murdering his wife and two young daughters (ages 5 and 7).

Wednesday March 2^nd, members of ISIS beheaded a Shia Muslim near Baghdad accusing him of being an Iranian spy. Images of the decapitation were photographed by ISIS as forms of propaganda.

U.K

A Sunni Islam organization in the UK called Doam (Documenting Oppression Against Muslims), although initially founded to combat anti-Islam prejudice, has recently been spreading messages of intra-Muslim bigotry, through a series of anti-Shia messages that are deemed as unacceptable. The group’s Facebook and twitter posts include derogatory anti-Shia Statements such as Shia being “rejecters of the Muslim faith”. Their official twitter account also insulted Shia cleric Nimr al-Nimr, calling him an abuser. The Shia Rights Watch urges authorities to remember that any organization that promotes hatred or violence of any kind is a hate group and should be regarded as such.

Bahrain

Bahrain unjustly arrested 5 people Monday February 29^th, for up to 15 years for “committing terrorist activities” toward the state. The prisoners were collectively fined more than 17,000 Dinars. The same court arrested two other people in a different case, one for ten years and one for three, based on accusations of rioting and throwing rocks and explosives at police officers last April. These people arrested were also accused of terrorism.

Incidents of Anti-Shiism in February 2016

Overview:

This report will analyze the data compiled on Shia deaths, injuries, and arrests that occurred between February 1^st and February 29^th, 2016. This month there were 372 deaths within the Shia community. Compared with last month’s analysis, the death rate has greatly increased, which is a negative sign for the future wellbeing of this minority group. In fact, the death toll more than doubled from last month. There were several events which resulted in large death rates. One such event were suicide bombing in several suburbs of Damascus, Syria on February 21^st, which killed 140 people. Another was a suicide bombing in Baghdad Iraq on February 28, 2016 which resulted in 78 deaths, 112 injuries, and 5 missing persons. The data for this report was gathered from a variety of different sources. The most well-known incidents of anti-Shiism were retrieved from stories that are reported to Shia Rights Watch by eyewitnesses. Each incident is thoroughly evaluated for both authenticity and relevance. For an incident to be included in this report it has to show clear intent to target Shia Muslims on the basis of religious beliefs. The subsequent sections will present and analyze the data gathered by Shia Rights Watch for February.

Where have Shia Muslims been targeted?

In February, Shia Muslims were targeted in six countries; Malaysia, Bahrain, Iraq, Pakistan, Syria and Saudi Arabia, There were a total of 315 deaths, 390 injured, and 55 arrested, as a result of anti-Shia hate crimes. Although Shia human rights were violated in other countries across the world as well, this report lists those countries in which numerical proof of murders, injuries, and arrests are present.

Malaysia

This month Malaysia fell victim to four unlawful arrests. Although Malaysia did not make it into January’s monthly report, it has been a source of many Shia rights violations in past months. Four Malaysian Shia were charged under sections nine and twelve of Syariah Criminal Offences Enactment of 1997 for practicing their religion.

Bahrain

This month twenty-one people were arrested in Bahrain. The arrestees were accused of blocking the road during protests, and/or of terrorist activities. The five people arrested February 29^th were also charged a sum total of 17,000 dinars on top of their fifteen year jail sentences. There are no proof of terrorist activities occurring.

Iraq

With a grand total of 227 deaths and 190 injuries, Iraq by far has the greatest amount of human rights violations against the Shia minority in the month of February. The amount of casualties in Iraq has increased exponentially since January with death rates being multiplied by four. The attacks consisted of a combination of gunfire, suicide bombings, and other improvised explosive devices.

The February bombings occurred in various places including mosques, funeral services, markets, and grain silos. Baghdad has been the main city where anti-Shia attacks have occurred this past month.

Pakistan

This month Malik Iftikhar Ali Haideri, was killed in Pakistan. He was murdered via gun by two unknown men on motorcycles.

Syria

This month a total of 143 Syrian Shia were killed and 200 were injured. This makes it the second highest for number of Shia rights violations this month after Iraq. The number of casualties has increased since January with the number of people injured and killed doubling. The most deaths occurred on February 21^st, 2016 which two incidents happening, a series of four bomb blasts which struck a suburb of Damascus called Sayyida Zeinab killing 83 people, and a bomb explosion in another suburb called Homs in which 57 people were killed. These bombings also resulted in many injuries making February 21^st the worst day this month for Syrian Shia Muslims.

Saudi Arabia

This month there was 1 Saudi Shia death and 30 unlawful arrests. The Saudi government was responsible for both of these cases. The arrests were due to unfounded accusations that thirty-two Saudis were spying for Iran (this number consists of thirty Shia). These individuals were detained back in 2013 but were just put on trial this year. It should be noted that trial was kept private and lacked due process of law; both of these suggest huge government corruption as both of these practices in court are illegal. SRW urges international powerhouses such as the UN to make sure that each and every nation uses fair and legal practices in all criminal court cases.

Conclusion

This month anti-Shia casualties have increased exponentially from last month, which means that despite the relatively good start to 2016, the Shia population across the world is still not doing well. Iraq was responsible for the most human rights violations against Shia Muslims, with Syria trailing closely behind. Malaysia, Bahrain, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia are also mentioned in this report, but there is not nearly as much written about these places. This could mean that these places had less violations, but it could also mean that their other violations have not been released yet. The majority of deaths were caused by IED explosions, suicide bombings, and gunfire. Suicide bombings occurred in markets, mosques, funeral services, and more. There were also a large number of people arrested on grounds of “terrorism.” However, there is no proof of any sort of terrorist activities.

Although many of the perpetrators are unknown, ISIS has claimed responsibility for a great deal and the Saudi government was responsible for many within their own kingdom. Increased measures need to be implemented in order to combat ISIS, and the UN needs to be more responsible in making sure that the Saudi government cannot continue making obvious human rights violations.

Shia Rights Watch issues its 2015 Annual Report

Washington, D.C. – Shia Rights Watch is releasing its 2015 Annual Report at the Human Rights Council 31st Session, Geneva.

SRW annual Casualty Report, depicting cases of anti-Shiism throughout the past year including cases of arrest, injury, murder, and detainment. Based on in depth research of SRW, an average of, twenty-nine to thirty Shia Muslims were killed, arrested, or wounded on a daily basis in 2015.

“2015” reports 5093 Shia Muslims are killed, 5416 wounded, and 431 arrested during between January 1^st to December 31^st, 2015. Both state and non-state agents such as ISIS have claimed responsibility for these attacks, making the Shia people largely unsafe in 25 countries around the world; Shia have claimed to feeling insecure in 50% of all Islamic nations.

Journalists, researchers, and human rights advocates interested in obtaining a copy before the release of the report may contact the organization directly.

Via: srwdc [at] shiarightswatch.org

Learn about anti-Shiism in specific countries and number of causality in “2015”.

SRW, founded in Washington DC, in 2011, is a non-profit, non-governmental entity which defends Shia Muslim rights around the world.

Shia News Wire #56

February 20^th to 26^th, 2016

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia put 32 people including 30 Shia on trial. Their charges included supporting protests in the Shia-majority region of Qatif in Eastern Province and recruiting others for espionage. They were also accused of sending encrypted reports to foreign intelligence via email and committing high treason against the king. Besides acts of spying and treason, they were also accused of owning banned books and publications that are mostly Shia prayer books.

The 30 people were detained in 2013, and many were important members of society and most were not politicians. Of those arrested this included an elderly university professor, a pediatrician, a banker and two clerics. Most were from al-Ahsa that is home to around half the members of the kingdom’s minority sect. The 32 people were put on trial on Sunday February 20th at the Specialized Criminal Court. The Eastern Province, which is home to many Shia, has been the site of many peaceful protests because the Shia are denied basic rights such as religion, expression, etc. The charges of spying are unfounded and are simply a way for the government to target Shia Muslims.

On Tuesday, February 23^rd, Saudi officials opened fire on al-Awamiyah in the Eastern province, massacring individuals living in the same city as the executed sheikh Nimr al-Nimr. A young teen age Shia Muslim, Ali Mahmood, was shot and killed. Death counts have not been released yet and according to official sources the locals did not react or fight back.

Nigeria

There has been an investigative panel for two days starting Monday to try and determine Zakazy’s whereabouts. The Shia have refused to take part in this investigation unless he is released unconditionally and all 730 missing Shia Muslims are accounted for.

Iraq

Between 9-12 people were killed Thursday February 25, 2016 during a double suicide-bomber attack at a predominately Shia mosque. The suicide bombers set off bombs in the front of the Rasul al-Azam mosque in the Shuala district” of Baghdad and the blasts wounded at least 20 people. The first explosion was meant to target worshippers as they left the service and the second explosion was to target police officers that came in aid of the first people injured.

Syria

Four explosions went off in the predominantly Shia suburbs of Damascus on Sunday February 21, 2016. The attacks happened by hospitals used to treat Shia Muslims. Currently 50 killed and 200 wounded from this attack.

Women Empowerment, a Major Step in Peace, Reconciliation, and Capacity Building

United Nation Headquarters< Geneva

March 10th 2016

From 3:00 pm to 4:00 PM

Aim:

This event focuses on topics that enable attendees to come together for effective change, learn more about challenges women face in troubled regions, roadmap ahead, and importance of Women’s Rights Advocacy.

Topics:

Capacity Building at Home, Psychology of Effective Change

Girls of Today, Women Leaders of Tomorrow

Migration, Integration and Adopting Change; the Road Ahead

Woman Rights, National and International Challenges

Shia News Wire #55

February, 13 – 19, 2016

Saudi Arabia

Due to rising tensions stemming from the execution of cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, Saudi authorities have shut down the Rasoul al-Azam mosque in al-Ahsaa- A Shia mosque. The mosque was shut down to prevent Sheikh Hussein Radhi from holding prayers after he publicly criticized the Saudi government and to limit Shia Muslim gatherings.

Russia

Two people have been proclaimed dead and seventeen have been declared injured following a car bomb released at a police check-point at Derbent in the southern Russian Republic of Dagestan. Dagestan is the only known area with notable Shia population in Russia. The bombing killed two police officers and the seventeen injured includes police personnel as well as civilians. The blast was reported to be so strong that it completely incinerated four cars in the parking lot by the police check-point. This police check-point was the sight of an armed assault in which unknown individuals opened fire, wounding one police officer. Despite ISIS claiming responsibility for both of these attacks via twitter, blame is being placed on a local terrorist group called ‘Yuzhdag’ (short for Southern Dagestan).

As attack to Shia communities is on raise, SRW is concerned for the safety of Russian Shia. Dagestan is home for many Shia Muslims and we urge Russian government to take necessary actions to prevent future attacks.

Shia News Wire #54

February 6^th to 12^th, 2016

Pakistan

In Punjab, terrorists have recently threatened to poison the water tanks of the schools in the area, leading to the school administration and Punjab government to place the school water supply under strict surveillance. Efforts to thwart terrorist plans to poison the water include a rotating night watch as well as constant 24/7 guarding of the water supply. The Punjab area of Pakistan is home to a good percentage of Shia Muslims, which explains why anti-Shia terrorist groups are targeting that specific area.

On February 8^th, Pakistan had also seen the death of an important Shia individual, Malik Iftikhar Ali Haideri. As the superintendent of the Government College of Technology, he takes public transportation each morning and was waiting at a pick-up location when the attack occurred. He was shot by several unidentified men riding motorcycles near the Kohati Gate resulting in fatal injuries. His family seems to have a huge target on their back as his brother, Jarrar Ali Haideri, who is an employee of the Directorate of Afghan Refugees, was killed in a similar way ten days previously while bringing his children to school. Another incident also occurred on February 8^th in which an explosive bomb was set in a repair shop in the Zandi Akbar Khan area of Pakistan, resulting in the deaths of the two Shia store owners.

Syria

This week, Syria was the sight of three Shia Muslim deaths including two women and one six year old child. These deaths were the direct result of bombings to two Shia populated cities; Nubl and Al-Zahraa which had previously been under siege for the past three years by ISIS resulting in malnutrition, lack of education, medical aid, and many other resources. Although ISIS has recently stopped occupation of these cities, a huge anti-Shia stronghold remains, making these places extremely dangerous for their large Shia populations.

Welcome to Shia Rights Watch

Violence

Shia Heritage and Identity:

Media and Communication:

Employment and Housing:

Citizenship:

The Shia Predicament in the GCC.

Overview:

Where have Shia Muslims been targeted?

Malaysia

Bahrain

Iraq

Pakistan

Syria

Saudi Arabia

Conclusion