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ISIS Crimes against Humanity For Immediate release

Washington, DC- October 28, 2014– Shia Rights Watch releases video documenting human rights violations committed by ISIS in Iraq. With the Islamic State in Iraq and al- Sham (ISIS) controlling large swaths of territory in Iraq and Syria, SRW has come forward with evidence documenting extensive human rights violations by this group in Iraq. In a nine minute documentary, members of Shia communities from Iraqi cities such as Tal-Afar and Mosul come forward and describe in great detail the torment they have endured from this group.

Violations included in this documentary include the massacre at Tikrit in which ISIS forces killed over 1,700 Shia civilians (Camp Speicher), and the massacre at Mosul in which ISIS killed over 670 Shia prisoners at the detention facility on the outskirts of the city.

This video shows graphic images of militants from ISIS lining up and shooting innocent men and women execution style. In the largest massacres, the video shows rows of people, hundreds of feet long, lying down on the ground and ISIS militants shooting at them with assault rifles.

SRW seeks to expose the vicious practices of ISIS in Iraq and request the assistance of the international community in advocating for innocent Shia communities affected by this conflict.

ISIS-Crimes-Against-Humanity

Shia News Wire_#11

October 31, 2014

SRW video on ISIS in Iraq

This week Shia Rights Watch released a nine minute video outlining some of the atrocities that have occurred at the hands of ISIS in Iraq. In conjunction with Imam Hussain TV and Laaya Productions, several interviews were conducted with victims of the unfolding turmoil in the country. Shia Rights Watch hopes that this documentary can shed light onto the deteriorating conditions Shia in Iraq face.

Pakistan: Saudi-backed terrorists planned to hit 21 Pakistan Shia

The police warned of possible terrorist attacks on different religious and political personalities in the country on the 9th and 10th of Muharram.
According to a private TV channel, a letter has been sent to the Ministry of Interior to inform that the terrorists had prepared to attack key religious personalities and political figures.
Those on the hit list include the Iranian ambassador to Pakistan Faisal Saleh Hayat, religious scholar Allama Nasir Abbas, Mushahid Hussain Syed and Dr Ghazanfar Mehdi.
The police said terrorists had planned to specifically carry out these acts in Rawalpindi and Islamabad during Ashura.

Entry of 158 clerics banned in Rawalpindi division

The entry of as many as 158 religious leaders including clerics of Deoband School of thought, Shia community and Barelvi sect, has been banned in Rawalpindi division.

According to a City District Government spokesman, the provincial government had received reports from the special branch that the clerics whose entry has been banned in the division may disturb peace and harmony during Muharram.

Pakistani media and rulers keep quiet over the killing of an innocent Shia child in Rawalpindi

Last evening, Deobandi terrorists threw a hand grenade at a group of Shia mourners, all females, outside the Islamic Research Centre (IRC) mosque, injuring nine women and killing one-and-a-half-year old girl Batool Waqar.

All the newspapers briefly flashed the killing on their web sites. But within five to eight hours, the news disappeared altogether.

Some mainstream Urdu papers did not mention at all.

Suicide bomber kills 27 militiamen in Iraq

A suicide bomber killed at least 27 Shia militiamen on the outskirts of the Iraqi town of Jurf al-Sakhar on Monday after security forces pushed Islamic State militants out of the area over the weekend, army and police sources said.

Blast in South Pakistan kills one, wounds nine people

A child was killed and at least eight people were wounded in a hand grenade explosion in southern Karachi city on Tuesday night, said police.

According to initial police report, the blast took place near Islamic Research Center (IRC) Imambargah (worship place of Shias) when a women religious gathering was taking place. Most of the injured are women and children, said police.

Pakistani court orders release of Top Shia Leader ‘Syed Ghulam Raza Naqvi’ after 18 years

The Lahore Anti-Terrorisim Curt (ATC) ordered the release of top Pakistani Shia leader, Syed Ghulam Raza Naqvi on Monday after serving 18 years of imprisonment without charges.

Shia leader Ghulam Raza Naqvi, the Head of Sipah-e-Muhammad Pakistan (SMP) was imprisoned in 1996.
SMP is a Shia Islamic resistance group and a former political party based in Pakistan that was formed in the early 1990s as a response to sectarian violence against Pakistani Shia Muslims carried by Deobandi takfiri terrorist movements.

Shia News Wire_#10

October 27, 2014

Shia Targeted in Iraq

Shia Rights Watch condemns the latest wave of violence carried out by ISIS militants in Iraq in the last two weeks. Bombings centered on Shia neighborhoods in Baghdad have killed around 150 people between October 12 and October 19. The deadliest of the bombings came when two car bombs exploded simultaneously in the northern Dolaie neighborhood in Baghdad which killed 14 civilians.

Tomb of Muhammad al- Durri Demolished

According to Iraqi sources, ISIS has demolished the tomb of Muhammad al-Durri in the town of toward which is 25 kilometers from Tikrit. Muhammad al-Durri was the son of the 7th Imam in Shia Islam. Thousands of Shia visit this tomb yearly. ISIS has demolished many Shia mosques and tombs over the past year.

Muharram Letter

On October 24th Shia Rights Watch sent a letter to 177 foreign embassies to mark the beginning of the month of Muharram. The letter explains the importance of the month to Shia Muslims and the need to protect these communities as the commemorate the death of Husayn ibn Ali. With increased threats against Shia populations as the month begins, it is essential that governments around the world dedicate the necessary resources to keeping Shia safe as they peacefully commemorate. No group should have to endure extreme fear as the commemorate religious holidays. Shia Rights Watch is hopeful that governments around the world will comply with the wishes of its communities.

“May the Muharram of 2014 be a peaceful month in which we all practice living in harmony and mutual respect”  -Mustafa Akhwand

Car bombs explode in Baghdad

Car bombings continue in the city of Baghdad, Iraq as 14 people were killed and 65 injured over the course of two hours on October 23rd. The worst of these bombings occurred when a car bomb detonated near a hospital in Sadr city which killed nine people and wounded 37 others. A recent UN report is claiming that 5,576    civilians have been killed and 11,666 civilians have been wounded in the first half of this year in Iraq.

Targeted Shia Killings in Pakistan

A resurgence of targeted Shia killings has left three men dead in three separate incidents throughout the country. An improvised explosive device (IED) killed a Shia Muslim man by the name of Akbar Ali in the city of Orakza, Pakistan. Another Shia was killed by gunmen in a grocery store in Karachi, Pakistan. Allah Ditta, was killed in Punjab.

Gruesome attack on Harazas

On October 23rd, eight people from the minority Shia Haraza sect were shot and killed as gunmen entered a bus and opened fire. The gunmen intercepted the bus on motorcycles as it was travelling through the city of Quetta and the men entered the bus before opening fire. Shia Rights Watch condemns these actions and calls on the Pakistani government to protect its Shia communities from these senseless attacks. Shia Rights Watch is actively working to get Pakistan added to the United States Department of State’s list of Countries of particular concern for religious freedom.

Reflections on the Syrian Conflict

In Armenak Tokmajyan’s article entitled Religion, Religious Leaders, and Violence in the Conflict in Syria, he gives a short overview of how moderate factions in the Syrian civil war were overtaken by more extreme factions in the conflict. These factions, Tokmajyan explains, tended to emerge from religious centers and their involvement in the conflict tended to create a more sectarian environment. Lastly Tokman concludes by stating that “the politicization of religion is an effective political tool because a significant portion of Islamic public in the Arab States swallows such rhetoric much easier than any other, especially after the failure of Arab Secularism represented by dictators and Arab Nationalism led by Syria and Egypt”.

Letter to Embassies Regarding Moharram

Today Shia Rights Watch sent a letter to 177 embassies, to mark the beginning of the month of Muharram. The letter explains the importance of the month to Shia Muslims and need to protect these communities as they commemorate the death of Husayn ibn Ali.

 

Honorable Ambassador,

We at Shia Rights Watch are dedicated to protecting and promoting the rights of Shia Muslims globally. We are writing to bring to your attention the importance of the month of Muharram to the Shia populations in your country as well as the need to protect these communities.

Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar, is a significant month for Shia Muslims as they commemorate the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson, in 680 CE in the Battle of Karbala. Muharram rituals are significant to the community as they symbolize Shia opposition to discrimination and oppression. The community honors this month by wearing black attire and attending seminars, lectures and special prayer services.

Sadly the world witnesses the brutal murder of scores of Shia worshippers as the peacefully commemorate this event each year. Shia communities are massacred each year through bombings, assassinations, and other forms of violence. This year we have witnessed intense attacks against Shia in Iraq as ISIS and other affiliated groups have detonated car and suicide bombs in Baghdad and Karbala. Our statistics show that over 7,000 Shia civilians have been killed in Iraq this year alone, with thousands more killed in different countries around the world.

This year our extensive research demonstrates that both Shia centers and spiritual leaders have already received threatening letters in anticipation of the month of Muharram.

SRW believes that respect and protection of religious freedom is the key to peaceful coexistence and mutual respect. We call upon all governments to respect the rights of their citizens and protect their lives and property.

This year, SRW invites and urges all governments and authority figures to:

  • Respect Shia practices during this special month.
  • Implement security plans that enable Shia to participate in their rituals without fear,
  • Remember that Muharram rituals are not political movement, but rather religious and spiritual.

Shia Muslims hail from a multitude of nations, are not dependent on any political group or government, and need to be granted their religious freedom and protection to practice their faith.

May the Muharram of 2014 be a peaceful month in which we all practice living in harmony and mutual respect.

SRW thanks you for your help in keeping all of your citizens safe.

Sincerely,

Mustafa Akhwand

Director of SRW

Gunmen Attack Bus Carrying Shia Muslims

Gunmen attacked a passenger bus carrying members of Pakistan’s Shia minority community in the city of Quetta Thursday, killing at least eight people, local officials said.

No one has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.

Increased Threat in Muharam

karballaFour cars exploded in Karbala, Iraq on October 20th claimed 20 lives and injured 40 Shia Muslims.

Bab Baghdad, Towairage and Hay al Hussain are areas in which the explosions took place.

Security threat and unrest increases as Shia Muslims prepare for the month of Moharam.

Shia targeted killings and violations spikes every year in the first month of lunar calendar, as Shia Muslims participate in Muharram campaign. Muharram campaign is the very first universal campaign against violence and discrimination that was initiated by Shia Muslims after the tragedy of Karbala in the month of Muharram of 680 CE. In 2013 may Shia Muslims lost their lives in explosions and many were arrested in different countries as their anti-Shia governments attacked their rituals.

Millions of Shia travel to Iraq in the month of Muharam.

Shia News Wire_#9

October 16, 2014

Ezidi Leader Thanks Shia Muslims for their Support

Anawr Muawiyah, the leader of Ezidi community in Germany thanked Shia Muslims for their support. In his interview with Alarabiya TV stated Sunni and ISIS killed our men, kidnapped our children and sold our women but Shia businessmen bought 40 of the women and returned them to their families. He continued Shia are only group that stood with Eizidis in Iraq. In its briefing on Capitol Hill, SRW, hosted Dakhil Shammo Elias founder of American Ezidi Center in US and create opportunity for this community to share their pain and issues in Iraq with audience. All minorities who have been targeted by ISIS must unite and support each other in their fight against this terrorist group, says Mustafa Akhwand, director of SRW.

Saudi Court Sentences Shiekh Nemer Al-Nemer

The criminal court in Riyadh issued death sentence for Shiekh Nemer Al-Nemer, a prominent Shia scholar on October 15th, 2015. Shiekh Nemer was arrested on July 8 because of his critique towards the Saudi government after he was shot. ctivists believe Saudi government is showing its strength against pro-democracy protestors by sentencing Shiekh Nemer.

Shia Rights Watch condemned the decision saying it is another proof that this kingdom has not taken any step towards reform.

Saudi government has been oppressing its Shia minority and arrested number of Shia scholars in past.

Shiekh Nemer is a representative of Shia Muslims and rights activist who has been under pressure by the government.

According to his attorney DR Sadiq al-Jobran “such decision is based on faulty accusations and is political”. Saudi Authorities deny the oppression against Shia minority and accuse them for undermining national unity.

The organization demands justice for Shiekh Nemer and all Shia imprisons in Saudi Arabia. Also, SRW invites all human rights agencies and pro-democracy governments to show their opposition toward the Saudi court’s decision and support Shia minority in Saudi where most human rights violations take place.

Bloody Eid in Pakistan

Shia of Pakistan had bloody Eid al-Adha as 11 Shia Muslims killed and 47 wounded in different explosions. Explosions took place in busy markets places in Hazara Town as people were shopping for Eid celebrations.

Number of vehicles and shops were damaged as the result. Shia targeted killings have long history in Pakistan where the government fails to protect this population.

Gathering in Opposition to Speicher Manslaughter

Iraqi Shia gathered in front t of the Whitehouse to support victims of Camp Speicher.

In June 2014, during the mass manslaughter executed in Tikrit, ISIS killed 1700 Shia Muslims in a single day at Camp Speicher. Hundreds of Shia Muslims, mostly Iraqis, gathered in front of the Whitehouse as they lighted 1700 candles and demanded investigations.

Number of Shia NGOs, such as SRW, attended this event.

“Shia are not Majority in Bahrain”, Claims Bahrain’s Ministry of Information

In interview with DW news agency, Sameera Rajab, representative of Bahrain’s Ministry of Information, claimed Shia are not majority of population in Bahrain. She furthermore explained that there is no evidence that most of the Bahrainis are Shia and media outlets manipulated the truth.

In June 2014 she had expressed her support for ISIS and stated that name ISIS is used in media as a cover up for Iraqis’ will of freedom and democracy. In 2013 she criticized US Department of State’s human rights report in Bahrain and said, “The report includes texts which are totally far from the truth, adopting a manner that fuels terror and terrorists targeting Bahrain’s national security”. Sameera’s claim is against all researches that sate Bahrain is a Shia majority country led by Sunni minority. Bahraini government has revoked citizenship of number of Shia human rights activists since Arab Spring. Also it eased the citizenship process for non-Shia foreigners in order to change the population demography.

Bahraini government openly rejects history and population of Shia in this country in order to justify its human rights violations toward this population, says SRW.

UK to Deport Pakistani Shia Activist to Pakistan Despite Death Threats

On October 14, British authorities announced that it planned to deport Liaquat Ali Hazara to Quetta, Pakistan on October 21st. Ali Hazara is a campaigner for a Shia minority group in Pakistan. He has been living in Britain since 2012 where he claimed asylum. Hazara was denied asylum on three separate occasions and now the British government plans to send him back to Pakistan. It has been documented that Hazara has been receiving death threats from the Taliban and they have been stalking him online. The Taliban even know his home address in Pakistan. While the UK says the threat on his life is only coming from his hometown of Quetta, this has been disproven as death threats have been traced from Karachi and Hyderabad which are hundreds of miles away from Quetta. Although the UK stated that the threats are emanating from Quetta, they plan to fly him to that town. Shia Rights Watch is outraged by the actions taken by the British government in Hazara’s case and is working with all responsible authorities to resolve this problem as this NGO is following up with the UK embassy in Washington DC to investigate the rationale behind UK’s decision.

 

Saudi Court Sentences Shiekh Nemer

nemerThe criminal court in Riyadh issued death sentence for Shiekh Nemer AlNemer, a prominent Shia scholar on October 15th, 2015. Shiekh Nemer was arrested on July 8 because of his critique towards the Saudi government after he was shot. Activists believe Saudi government is showing its strength against pro-democracy protestors by sentencing Shiekh Nemer.

Shia Rights Watch condemned the decision saying it is another proof that this kingdom has not taken any step towards reform. Saudi government has been oppressing its Shia minority and arrested number of Shia scholars in past.

Shiekh Nemer is a representative of Shia Muslims and rights activist who has been under pressure by the government. According to his attorney DR Sadiq al-jobran “such decision is based on faulty accusations and is political”. Saudi Authorities deny the oppression against Shia minority and accuse them for undermining national unity.

The organization demandsjustice for Shiekh Nemer and all Shia imprisons in Saudi Arabia. Also, SRW invites all human rights agencies and pro-democracy governments to show their opposition toward the Saudi court’s decision and support Shia minority in Saudi where most human rights violations take place.

18 Killed and 80 Wounded in Baghdad

Three car exploded in North West Baghdad killing 11 and wounding 32 Shia Muslims on Tuesday October 7th .
Another two people were killed and seven injured as another car exploded in Zafraniah, in south East Baghdad.
On Wednesday October 8th two cars exploded in the City of Sadr, East Baghdad. The explosion killed five and wounded 41 Shia Muslims.
All explosions took place in Shia populated areas of Baghdad targeting this community.

Ezidi Leader Thanks Shia Muslims for their Support

anwarAnawr Muawiyah, the leader of Ezidi community in Germany thanked Shia Muslims for their support. In his interview with Alarabiya TV stated Sunni and ISIS killed our men, kidnapped our children and sold our women but Shia businessmen bought 40 of the women and returned them to their families. He continued Shia are only group that stood with Eizidis in Iraq.

In its briefing on Capitol Hill, SRW, hosted Dakhil Shammo Elias founder of American Ezidi Center in US and create opportunity for this community to share their pain and issues in Iraq with audience. All minorities who have been targeted by ISIS must unite and support each other in their fight against this terrorist group says Mustafa Akhwand, director of SRW.

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