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Sheikh al- Nimr Scheduled for Death Sentence Again!

Shia Rights Watch is concerned about Sheikh Nimr al Nimr as this organization was informed Saudi authorities have prevented his family and friends from visiting him. According Sheikh’s inner circle, family and friends can no longer visit him.  Same sources informed SRW that the fear of implementing death sentence is growing among Sheikh’s followers.

Sheikh Nimr was attacked and arrested while on route to his home in Saudi Arabia’s Al-Qatif region on July 8, 2012. The Sheik was subsequently charged with disturbing the country’s security, giving anti-government speeches, and defending political prisoners. These charges have earned the Sheik a death sentence which has sparked outrage among the international community. He was scheduled to be sentences on August 12th but it was postponed by the Saudi authorities. However some Saudi sources claim Sheikh is scheduled for implementation of the death sentence on the anniversary of the death of former Interior Minister, Nayef bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, one of the princes of the kingdom, which encountered his death the sixteenth of June.

SRW believes execution of Sheikh Nimr could have dangerous consequences as he is a very well-known peace maker who has advocated freedom, equality and reform within the country. This NGO invites and urges international committees to step in and investigate the death sentence and also to pressure Saudi kingdom to free political prisoners as freedom of speech and religion is all human’s basic right.

Shia News Wire_#18

May 8th, 2015

Sheikh al- Nimr Scheduled for Death Sentence Again!

Shia Rights Watch is concerned about Sheikh Nimr al Nimr as this organization was informed Saudi authorities have prevented his family and friends from visiting him. According Sheikh’s inner circle, family and friends can no longer visit him.  Same sources informed SRW that the fear of implementing death sentence is growing among Sheikh’s followers.

Sheikh Nimr was attacked and arrested while on route to his home in Saudi Arabia’s Al-Qatif region on July 8, 2012. The Sheik was subsequently charged with disturbing the country’s security, giving anti-government speeches, and defending political prisoners. These charges have earned the Sheik a death sentence which has sparked outrage among the international community. He was scheduled to be sentences on August 12th but it was postponed by the Saudi authorities. However some Saudi sources claim Sheikh is scheduled for implementation of the death sentence on the anniversary of the death of former Interior Minister, Nayef bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, one of the princes of the kingdom, which encountered his death the sixteenth of June.

SRW believes execution of Sheikh Nimr could have dangerous consequences as he is a very well-known peace maker who has advocated freedom, equality and reform within the country. This NGO invites and urges international committees to step in and investigate the death sentence and also to pressure Saudi kingdom to free political prisoners as freedom of speech and religion is all human’s basic right.

 

Summary of Violations in Bahrain in First Three Months of 2015

First three months of 2015 have been full of Shia rights violations in Bahrain. According to Bahraini human rights activists

  • More than 1600 detainees in Jow central prison were subjected to torture, humiliating treatment and deprivation of basic rights during the first quarter of 2015.
  • More than 400 torture cases were recorded,
  • 653 people, including 16 women and 119 children, were detained between January-March,
  • 337 political prisoners were sentenced to average of nine years in prison each,
  • 32 people were charged with life sentences and three death sentences,
  • More than 2600 peaceful protesters were arrested after usage of tear gas and shotguns,
  • 278 people arrested during the house raids,
  • 559 house raids were also reported,
  • Finally 49 political and human right activists abroad, were stripped of their Bahrain nationality.

Bahraini Shia make up majority of population in Bahrain yet they have no freedom to practice their faith or change their government.

All human rights NGOs have reported brutal cases of violations from Bahrain yet no steps were taken to pressure Bahrain kingdom to treat this population fairly.

 

Attack to al-Zahraa Mosque Claimed 12 Lives

Two bomb explosions killed number of Shia Muslims as they performed Friday prayers inside mosques. A suicide car bomber attacked the al-Zahraa mosque in the town of Balad Ruz as worshipers were leaving after the Friday prayer. A second suicide bomber attacked the crowds gathered in the aftermath. At least 30 wounded and 12 killed.

Balad Ruz is located 70 kilometers (44 miles) northeast of Baghdad.

No group has immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

Shia News Wire_#17

April 2015

Continuous Bombing of Shia Neighborhoods in Iraq

Three Shia populated areas of Amiriyah, Husseiniyah, and Shula witnessed deadly bombings on April 29th as three bombs exploded killing eight and wounding twenty-eight.

Iraqi Shia have been targets of anti-Shia groups for centuries. Even after establishment of Shia government, this population faces mass killings and deadly bombings. No group officially claimed the responsibility of the bombings.

Should Pakistani Hajj Applicants Expect Shia Eights Violations During Hajj 2015?

Pakistan asks for faith identification on 2015 Hajj applications. According to Hajj 2015 applicants Pakistani government asks applicants to specify if they are Shia or not on the official application form. Such change was done simultaneously to the recent visit of Imam-e-Kabba to Pakistan. It is reported that he is visiting the country to defuse tensions between the traditional allies, which developed following the Parliament’s resolution rejecting the Saudi request of personnel support in Yemen recently.

Historically Saudi clerics have played key role in anti-Shia movements and therefore Shia Muslims of Pakistan are concerned for their safety during Hajj after such change in Hajj applications. Every year many Shia face discrimination from Saudi forces during Hajj and recent identification in Hajj application can fuel even more discriminations based on religion.

Shia Rights Watch have contacted Pakistani embassy in Washington to express Shia community concern regarding Hajj applications. The embassy has not responded to the letters yet.

Shia Professionals Targets of anti-Shia Killings in Pakistan

Dr Syed Wahidur Rahman, a well-known Karachi University professor was shot and killed in an anti- Shia attack. He was attacked by four masked men riding two motorcycles who opened fire on him in his car.

Shia professional killings have claimed many lives of very well-known Shia Muslims in Pakistan. Shia community of Pakistan believe such targeted killings aim to change the dynamic of the country and Shia representations in influential institutes of this country.

 

 

 

شيعة رايتس ووتش

الدفاع عن العدالة

منظمة شيعة رايتس ووتش هي اول منظمة شيعية عالمية ، مستقلة، غير حكومية،  وغير ربحية تعنى برعاية وحماية حقوق المسلمين الشيعة في مختلف دول العالم واروقت الامم المتحدة. تأسست عام 2011 و مقرها واشنطن.

تهدف المنظمة الى لفت انتباه المجتمع الدولي ورفع الوعي الدولي لما يجري من انتهاكات ضد الشيعة في العالم. وتسعى الى ان تكون الصرخة التي تجلب الجاني الى العدالة.

تعتمد المنظمة منهجية واستراتيجية الاستقصاء الصحفي  وتوثيق الحوادث عبر ممثليها في مختلف الدول و عرض التقارير الدورية والتبليغ عن الانتهاكات بهدف حماية حقوق الشيعة.

رؤية المنظمة

الحرية الدينية حق للجميع

تتطلع منظمة شيعة رايتس ووتش الى عالم يعمّه الأمن و السّلام للجميع بغض النظر عن دينهم، جنسهم، عرقهم، او اصلهم.

تعمل المنظمة على تبيين حقوق المسلمين الشيعة  و انهم كغيرهم من الأمم يجب ان يتمتعوا بكامل حقوقهم المدنية. مؤكدة عدم السماح للتمييز باي شكل من أشكاله، بل والابلاغ عن وجود الانتهاكات في حقهم اينما كانت. وتعتقد ان الله جلا وعلا قد اعطى الناس الحرية و الاختيار للعيش بسلام. 

 المهمة

لا شيعي فوق القانون او دونه

تعمل منظمة شيعة رايتس ووتش على حماية حقوق المسلمين الشيعة في العالم، مساندة ضحايا التمييز والفوقية ودعم النشاط الذي يحول دون حصول هذا التمييز، وكذلك ضمان الحرية السياسية و الدينية.  

تقوم المنظمة بمساعي حقوقية و اعلامية في المجتمعات المحلية والدولية لدعم حق الحرية للجميع. 

عمليا، تقوم منظمة شيعة رايتس ووتش بالتحقيق في كافة الانتهاكات التي تمارس ضد الشيعة وذلك بهدف رفع الظلم. 

تدعو المنظمة الى تغيير المفاهيم  الخاطئة في حق الشيعة من خلال التقارير والاصدارات وكتابة المقالات الفكرية وارسالها الى الحكومات العربية والاسلامية من جهة والمنظمات الحقوقية في مختلف دول العالم من جهة اخرى. 

ترصد منظمة شيعة رايتس ووتش وسائل الاعلام باستمرار لمراقبة التغطية الاعلامية للانتهاكات ضد الشيعة حول العالم. 

الهدف السامي

يواجه الشيعة في العالم اضطهادا مستمرا من قبل المتطرفين والتكفيريين لا لسبب سوى انتمائهم العقائدي لمدرسة أهل البيت عليهم السلام.  و لطالما كانوا عرضة للاضطهاد والتعذيب وحتى الاعدام لقرون عديدة.

تؤمن منظمة شيعة رايتس ووتش بضرورة وجود المنظمات الحقوقية في مختلف دول العالم لحماية حقوق الشيعة وايصال صوتهم و المطالبة بحقوقهم حتى تنتهي الانتهاكات ضدهم. 

فريق عمل منظمة شيعة رايتس ووتش

انطلقت منظمة شيعة رايتس ووتش بجهود متضامنة وموحدة لفريق نشطاء متطوعين من خلفيات اثنية ودينية مختلفة بهدف استحضار الدعم الدولي لحقوق الشيعة. و هذا النشاط كان بفضل تزايد عدد المتطوعين حيث تضم المنظمة حاليا ما يزيد عن 100 متطوع منتشرين حول العالم.

تتراوح مسؤولية الفريق بين جمع المعلومات وكتابة التقارير والمقالات لاحداث التغيير الفكري الداعم لحقوق الشيعة في العالم. 

منهجية منظمة شيعة رايتس وتش

تعتقد منظمة شيعة رايتس ووتش ان الحصول على المعلومات والابلاغ ضد الانتهاكات التي تمارس بحق الشيعة هي من اهم المصادر في عملية الاستقصاء لذا فان المنظمة اعتمدت وسائل متعددة، منها: 

الحضور الميداني و مقابلة الشهود، الضحايا وذويهم، الحصول على المعلومات من مكان الحدث، تحليل التقارير الصادرة عن المنظمات المحلية والدولية، عقد اللقاءات مع الجمعيات المدنية غير الحكومية والقادة والصحفيين  من خلال ايجاد شبكة علاقات واسعة تربط شرائح المجتمع. وبناء على الجمع الوفير من المعلومات، تتمكن المنظمة من تحديد حجم الانتهاكات ضد الشيعة. وهذه الانتهاكات تضم على سبيل المثال لا الحصر على ما يلي: 

  • انتهاك حق الحياة
  • الاعتقال التعسفي
  • المحاكمات غير العادلة والسجن غير القانوني 
  • الاساءة الجسدية والنفسية من اغتصاب اوتعذيب اواعتداء جنسي
  • الاستيلاء غير القانوني على الاملاك الخاصة
  • تدمير مراكز دينية
  • التمييز في مجال العمل
  • التمييز في مجال التعليم

منظمة شيعة رايتس كمصدر

الصحافيون المهتمون بتغطية شؤون الشرق الاوسط يجدون في تقارير منظمة شيعة ووتش مصدرا هاما لكونها تعنى بالتركيز على شريحة مهمة في الشرق الاوسط. فعلى سبيل المثال، من اجل دراسة  الانتهاكات ضد المتظاهرين في احداث الربيع العربي بشكل كامل، يتوجب التعرف على الصراع الذي يخوضه الشيعة من اجل نيل حقوقهم خاصة وان هذه الانتهاكات متواصلة ويتم التعتيم عليها اعلاميا.  و رد السلطات على احداث الربيع العربي كان فرصة سانحة للجناة لارتكاب المزيد من الانتهاكات والتعذيب. 

وبعيدا عن العالم العربي، هناك بلاغات عن حالات ترهيب في جزء اخر من العالم مثل جنوب آسيا تهدف الى اثارة الكراهية الطائفية ضد المواطنين الشيعة يغذيها الخطاب السياسي عبر اثارة قضايا مفتعلة او اخبار كاذبة او مفبركة وتحت عناوين براقة  كالارهاب مثلا. 

تهدف منظمة شيعة رايتس ووتش الى الابلاغ عن كل جريمة ترتكب بحق الشيعة في كل جزء من العالم. فالمحققين التابعين للمنظمة يقابلون الضحايا بشكل مباشر ويرصدون التغطيات لوسائل الاعلام الناطقة بلغات مختلفة. 

تعمل منظمة شيعة رايتس ووتش ضمن شبكة تربطها بالمجتمعات المحلية، منظمات حقوق الانسان الدولية، والاكادميين من المجتمعات الشيعية  .

فريق منظمة شيعة رايتس ووتش يشكلون خليطا بشريا من مختلف الاديان والاعراق وهدفهم الدفاع عن حقوق الانسان. 

هذه الشبكة توفر المعلومات القيمة للاعلاميين الذين يغطون تبعات الاحداث والانتهاكات في حق الشيعة .

يمكن الاطلاع على التقارير على الموقع الخاص بالمنظمة: www.shiarightswatch.org .

Letter to President Francois Hollande

President Francois Hollande

President Francois Hollande

Palais de L’Élysée

55 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré

75008 Paris, France

 

Dear President Hollande,

We at Shia Rights Watch are writing you to urge you to use your attendance at the Gulf Cooperation Council meeting to address human rights abuses committed by the Saudi government. Your attendance at this meeting marks a significant moment in France’s relations with the Gulf. The growing security and economic cooperation between your country and the GCC is making France a major player in the Middle East. With this comes responsibility and Shia Rights Watch hopes that you use this influence to serve as a voice for the millions of people whose lives are affected by the Human Rights abuses committed by the Saudi government.

The Saudi- led Operation Decisive Story and Operation Restore Hope have created a humanitarian crisis within Yemen. Saudi airstrikes have killed hundreds of civilians and have left millions without food and electricity. A Saudi blockade of Yemen’s ports, and subsequent attacks on vehicles delivering aid have stopped the delivery of essential goods to those who need them most in Yemen.

In addition to Saudi Arabia’s foreign involvement, domestically, Saudi Arabia has displayed repressive actions against its own citizens. Shia Muslims in Saudi’s eastern province have been systematically denied adequate social services and has faced widespread employment discrimination. Attempts by Shia who are affected by this to speak up are met with violence by Saudi security forces. Sheikh Nimr, a prominent peaceful advocate of Saudi’s Shia population, was arrested and sentenced to death under unsubstantiated charges of inciting violence. A country with such a long list of human rights abuses cannot be an effective partner in either security or economic matters.

Your attendance at this GCC meeting is of enormous importance, but it is how you use your attendance that will make the greatest difference. Your voice can be yet another voice that supports the status quo, or your voice can aid those who have been rendered helpless through years of continued violence and discrimination. Shia Rights Watch urges you to choose the latter and we hope to hear from you soon.

Sincerely,

Shia Rights Watch

Bahrain; The Lost Generation

  • ISBN-10: 1512057819
  • ISBN-13: 978-1512057812

The Shia Rights Watch report entitled “Bahrain: The Lost Generation” is 48 pages, detailing incidents of violence and intimidation against Bahraini Shia Muslims in 2014. Government sponsored violence has affected the lives of many Shia communities around Bahrain. The report gives a detailed account of how this already oppressed group has been marginalized further in recent years through systematic arrests, torture , and citizenship revocation. The report is based on interviews, site visits, news articles, NGO reports, and other human rights reports.

 

Pakistan;Rights Unrecognized

The Shia Rights Watch report entitled “Pakistan: Rights Unrecognized” details widespread militant violence against Shia Muslims in Pakistan. This 24 page long report gives a glimpse into how targeted shootings and mosque bombings have inflicted immense pain on the Shia minority around the country. Pakistani Shia Muslims have been targets of un-investigated violence throughout the history and the oppression continues.

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Incidents of Anti-Shiism in April 2015

الرجاء الضغط هنا لقراءة هذا التقرير باللغة العربية

There has been a decrease in both the number of Shia killed and those that were injured during attacks. However, there has been an increase in the amount of Shia arrested around the world. There were more than 300 deaths and over 250 injuries this month. There were also 19 abductions and 126 arrests in April. These figures result in an average of nearly 11 deaths per day, more than 8 injured Shia per day, and almost 9 people arrested every two days. Anti-Shiism has spread to more countries this month compared to earlier months this year, and is now confirmed as present in Nigeria and Madagascar in 2015. Anti-Shiism is a growing trend that will continue to gain notoriety until the international community addresses the issue.

Shia Rights Watch_trendOverview

This report will analyze the data compiled on Shia deaths, injuries, and arrests that occurred between April 1st and April 30th. The data for this report was gathered from a variety of different sources. 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 March.

Where have Shia Muslims been targeted?

                April saw Shia Muslims targeted in 8 different countries: Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Bahrain, Syria, and Madagascar. In total there were 306 deaths, 279 injuries, and 126 arrests. Although this data focuses primarily on the aforementioned categories, incidents such as the abductions of Shia in Afghanistan and Syria will be mentioned in this report. An overwhelming majority of the Shia deaths and injuries in April occurred in Iraq, whereas the bulk of the arrests took place in Bahrain.

shia rights watch_Anti-shiiism_2015

Iraq

shia rights watch_Anti-shiiism_2015TThe violence against Shia Muslims in Iraq continues to be the actions of non-state actors persecuting Shia for their beliefs. The deaths and injuries against Shia in Iraq result from bombings, shooting, and a combination of the two. There were at least 302 deaths and 258 injuries in Iraq this month as a direct product of the Shia Genocide. The number of deaths in Iraq is a decrease from 376 of the previous month, but the injuries increased from 165 to 258. The violence variables have fluctuated over the course of the year, and will mostly likely continue to do so. Many of these bombings take place in the various areas of Baghdad by terrorists hoping to remove the security forces’ focus from the outer regions of Iraq.

 

Afghanistan

Last month there were 67 Shia abducted, and this month there were only 9 abductions. However, the bodies of some of the previous hostages have been turning up around Afghanistan. The abductors are confirmed to be Taliban (or allied to the Taliban) in some circumstances, and suspected to be Taliban in the other instances. Five of the Shia killed this month were beheaded by the Islamic State that is attempting to take root in Afghanistan. According to the New York Times, the Taliban is determined to not be outshined in brutality by the Islamic State, and has begun beheading the Shia Hazaras they kidnap. Three of the 30 Hazaras that were kidnapped in February were found dead, and one of them was beheaded in a video. There was also one instance of Taliban militants forcing Hazaras off a bus, and stabbing all seven of them to death. This illustrates the dedication these people have to the extermination of Shia, because stabbing is a very intimate, purposeful type of murder. The Afghanistan Security Forces need to make a more concerted effort to protect the Shia minority from the likes of Takfiri terrorists who seek to wipe them out.

shia rights watch_Method of killed_2015

Pakistanshia rights watch_Method of killed_2015T

There were only two incidents of anti-Shiism in Pakistan this month that we are aware of, and they both occurred at the end of the month. The first one was a roadside bomb in Balochistan which killed four people and injured 18 more. The other incident happened in Peshawar where a Shia shopkeeper was shot at least three times that led to his death. Pakistan was in a cooling off period the past month or two, but these two events so close together could hint at a resurgence in anti-Shiism in Pakistan.

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia continued its oppression of Shia in their Eastern Province by conducting home raids which resulted in the arrest of 30 people. Saudi Prince Saud bin Nayyef bin Abdul Aziz is the governor of the Eastern Province, and made openly anti-Shia statements. He remarked that, “There are good men [in the Eastern Province], and there is also evil filth.” He went on to affiliate the evil filth with an old Shia dynasty, and accused them of trying to divide Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is known for its extremely conservative form of Sunni Islam known as Wahhabism which does not see Shia as true Muslims, and this is the first anti-Shia statement made by a Saudi prince.

shia rights watch_Injured_2015

Nigeria

Nigeria is well known for the infamous work of Takfiri terrorist group Boko Haram targeting anyone who is against their radical interpretation of Islam. On April 20th there was a failed suicide bombing of an open air Shia mosque in Potiskum, Nigeria. Three Shia were injured by shrapnel from the explosion while the terrorist lost the lower half of his body. Boko Haram has attacked Shia in the past, but this is the first news media report of an anti-Shia attack in Nigeria in 2015.

Bahrainshia rights watch_Injured_2015T

The conditions in Bahrain continue from the abuse of prisoners in Jaw Prison to the use of tear gas, rubber bullets, and concussive grenades on peaceful protesters. Prisoners in Jaw face beatings, torture, a lack of medical care and basic hygiene which is evident from the recent outbreak of scabies and the conditions of prisoners when they are allowed to see their families. There have been 91 arrests of activists in Bahrain since the beginning of April, and Nabeel Rajab is among those detained. His sentence has been extended by two weeks twice. There were just under 200 arrests for this year which means the arrests in Bahrain in April account for nearly half of the arrests for 2015. On April 28, the Bahraini government arrested 28 people on terrorism charges, but did not release any names or targets of the attacks. The suspicious nature of the arrests combined with the Bahraini government’s history of oppressing Shia leads us to believe that some, if not all, of those arrested were Shia. Shia Rights Watch will monitor the situation for more details.

Syriashia rights watch_Abducted_2015T

The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria kidnapped around 50 people on March 31st, and ten of those hostages were Ismaili Shia. The news of the abductions was not released, because the families were negotiating with the terrorists. However, the

dialogue has broken down recently. The other hostages were taken for their perceived loyalty to the Ismailis even though they are Sunni. Six of the Ismailis are women, and there were 15 other women taken. Head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights believes that the women are sure to become slaves as this is one of the ways that the Islamic State funds itself and gains followers.

Madagascar

On April 20th, Shia Rights Watch was notified by one of our sources that the head of a Shia Mosque was arrested for an unknown reason. This a troubling development, because this would be the first time in 2015 that anti-Shiism has appeared in Madagascar. Shia Rights Watch will be following up on this case to monitor for religious persecution and human rights violations.

shia rights watch_OverAll_2015T

Tactics

The amount of Shia killed or wounded by bombs this month is down significantly from last month, and mirrors the yearly trend of decreased deaths and injuries. Bombs were also the only method that caused injuries to Shia this month. The deaths from shootings remain about the same while the amount of Shia killed by beheadings has double since last month. The utilization of a combination of methods to kill Shia has decreased significantly from 161 to 35. New to the report is the addition of stabbings which is a worrying trend if it continues to be a method selected by religiously motivated murderers.

Conclusion

Anti-Shiism seems to be taking more of a hold in police forces and governments, because the amount of Shia arrested this month increased substantially from 28 to 126. Some governments may be realizing how to commit sectarian discrimination more inconspicuously, and this is something to watch out for. Thankfully, the amount of Shia being abducted has decreased from 67 to 19, but the fate of those kidnapped last month appears to be grim as more bodies are turning up. Iraq still remains the deadliest place to be a Shia Muslim, and anti-Shiism has been reported in two more countries. Hopefully the mainstream media picks up on the violence that occurs against Shia in Nigeria. Bahrain continues to have the most arrests among the countries with anti-Shiism, but Saudi Arabia may be increasing their unabashed anti-Shia efforts. Share this report to increase awareness about the Shia genocide being committed around the world so that we may put an end to the suffering.

 

The Unwelcomed Muslims in Malaysia

The “The Unwelcomed Muslims in Malaysia” is a well-documented report of incidents of Shia rights violation in the country of Malaysia. According to the report, Shia is considered a “deviant” interpretation of Islam and is a banned faith. In the year 2010 and 2011 the government openly attacked two of the Shia ceremonies and arrested many of the participants.

Shia Muslims do not feel secure in the country and practice their faith secretly.

The document narrates the situation of the Shia Muslims in this country and recommends solutions to the problem.

The report is one of a kind in highlighting the Shia rights violations in Malaysia.

 

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The Honorable Mr. Serdar Kılıç

No: 903

Date: September 11, 2014

The Honorable Mr. Serdar Kılıç

Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey

2525 Massachusetts Ave NW,

Washington, DC 20008

Dear Honorable Ambassador Kılıç,

We here at Shia Rights Watch are writing to you today to draw your attention to the Shia rights violations taking place in Turkey. The Shia population worldwide has fallen victim to sectarian discrimination and repression by governments and armed groups. With the rise of the extremist group Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), the security problem of the Shia Muslims has become worse in the region. We would like to inform you that there have been three Shia mosque attacks since June 2014 in different regions of Istanbul and would like to ask your cooperation with regards to protecting the Shia Muslim population of Turkey.

On June 9, 2014 a Ja’fari mosque, Allahu Ekber Ehlibeyt, in Esenyurt district of Istanbul was set to fire. On July 9, 2014 Muhammediye mosque in Esenyurt was attacked by strangers who are thought to be the members of ISIS. The Imam, Hamza Aydin, stated that 10 days prior to the attack, he was verbally threatened and his congregation was accused of “worshipping to the stones and crying to the shrines.” Despite the fact that Aydin informed the police about the threat, he said the police failed to take precautions against any further jeopardy. The library section of the mosque was set on fire 10 days after the verbal threats against. The two attackers were reported to say “we will not allow you to recite the ezan here in this mosque” during their attack. On September 3, 2014 the under-construction Imam Ali mosque was attacked by a group of 20-30 people who shouted that they did not want a Shia mosque in their neighborhood.

Shia Rights Watch sees these actions as a violation of Article 2 and Article 18 of Declaration of Human Rights.   These attacks are not only violations of religious and identity freedom, but a threat to the unity of Turkish people of different ethnic and religious backgrounds, as well. As ISIS is the major threat to the freedom of the minority groups, including the Shia people in the region, we, as Shia Rights Watch, kindly ask the Turkish Embassy of Washington, DC to work with us on the issue of protecting the rights of the Turkish Shias.

With Respect,

Mustafa Akhwand

Director of Shia Rights Watch

 

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