4 Shia Muslims killed in Karachi, Pakistan

Once again, Anti-Shia terrorists targeted Shia Muslims in Pakistan and this time in the city of Karachi. According to an eye witness, Sayed Ali Hassan Naqvi, 48 years old, was killed while he was shopping. Asad ali naqvi was another Shia who got killed by terrorist, names of other two Shia who were killed in different incident are still unknown.

The Pakistani government still refuses to support Shia Muslims and bring anti-Shia terrorist to the court of law. There should not be any discrimination among any of the Pakistani citizen and all should be treated according to international human rights law.

Shia Rights Watch Calls on UN to Oversee the Peace Dialogue in Bahrain

Shia Rights Watch calls on UN to oversee the peace dialogue and reconciliation in Bahrain.
SRW calls on the General Secretary of the United Nations, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, to involve the UN in the dialogue and reconciliation in Bahrain and pressure all the negotiating parties to work toward success of this important mission.
The organization stresses the importance the of the rule of UN in saving the rights and freedoms of the Bahraini people at all levels of political, social and economic stages.

Also, the UN is asked to pressure the Bahraini government to reform policies and changes demanded by the protesters, especially in relation to halt the violence of the government authorities and the reduction of the repression and ongoing abuses, as well as the release of political detainees, and to compensate the victims of repression and abuse.

Letter to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon , Ref: Bahrain Peace Dialogue

Mr. Ban Ki-moon

Secretary-General

United Nations

New York, NY 10017

Dear Secretary-General,

Your Excellency, the Secretary General of the United Nations,

At Shia Rights Watch (SRW), we, researchers, activists, and human rights defenders, who are following the human rights violations in Bahrain, believe it is essential for the UN to oversee the upcoming peace dialogue in Bahrain.

This dialogue is hoped to resolve issues involving the security and well-being of more than a million people, as well as the stability of a nation. Therefore, all necessary actions must be taken so both parties reach satisfactory results.

We wish to draw your attention to the importance of the UN involvement this time around since King Hamad has repeatedly failed to implement reforms. He did not respect his promises on major changes after the report of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI) exposed numbers of violations. Unfortunately, still news and reports reveal that number of killings and violations have increased since the BICI report. Ironically, those who were responsible for the violations kept their jobs and in some cases awarded greater positions. As a result, it is crucial that the UN gets involved and oversees this upcoming dialogue and finds ways to reach peace in this country.

We do appreciate the United Nations’ commitment toward stability of Bahrain. There is no doubt that the supervision of the United Nations can be a great relief for the defenseless Bahrainis. We cannot stress enough how superintending this dialogue can save lives of thousands of suppressed people of Bahrain.

SRW hopes the involvement of the UN results in actual and truthful implementations of the peace talk and end human rights violations in this country.

Sincerely,

Mustafa Akhwand

Director of Shia Rights Watch

Mysterious Death of a Shia Woman in Saudi

Saudi Health Affairs confirmed the mysterious death of Saudi Shia woman after receiving corrupted blood, Alegt.com reports.

Tariq Al-Ghamdi, media spokesman of the Health Affairs in the East, said that the death of Amal Abdul Hadi Abdul Aziz Al-Mutairi occurred in mysterious circumstances. He added that the Director of General Health Affairs must form a committee of laboratory management and blood banks authorities to take remedial actions and identify the source of corrupted blood.

Photo: Layoutspark.com

He said the patient suffered from thalassemia, and received two units of blood almost a month ago. She had high temperature, high enzymes, liver dysfunction, kidney failure and clotting blood when entered emergency room and was transferred to the intensive care unit immediately.

Al-Ghamdi pointed out that Amal was provided necessary medical services and laboratory tests and it was found that she had malaria. It is unknown how the blood was infected by Malaria virus.

The authorities are concerned that this could be beginning of mysterious death among Shia Muslims.

S.R.W urges authorities to form a committee of human rights organizations along with S.R.W representative and also health care specialists to investigate the source of Malaria and other possible threats to the Shia who receive medical services in Saudi Arabia.

This kind of death was never an issue in Saudi and is a new phenomenon that could be dangerous and should be investigated immediately.

Suicide Bomb Takes Another 22 Lives From Shia Muslims Community in Iraq

Wednesday January 23, was a bloody day in Tuz Khormato, Iraq. A suicide bomb was exploded in a Shia mosque called Sayyid al-Shuhada as people were mourning for the death of a government employee who was killed in a drive-by shooting earlier. More than 22 were killed and estimated injured are around 50 to 90 people. Soon after the explosion police officers came to the scene and transferred the injured to a nearby hospital.

No one has claimed the responsibility of the attack yet. However it is clear that the attack is among anti-Shia targeted killings that systematically target Shia gatherings. Wednesday marked the fifth time this month that insurgents managed to carry out attacks, claiming more than 20 lives in a single day.

S.R.W condemns the killing of Shia Muslim and carrying terrorist attacks in a mosque where is supposed to be safe place for all.

SRW Demands Security for Samarra Pilgrims

Shia Rights Watch calls on the Iraqi authorities to work toward the security of pilgrims in the country, especially for the pilgrims in the city of Samarra, which commemorates the martyrdom of Imam Hassan al-Askari, the eleventh Imam of Shia Muslims, on the eighth of the Rabīʿ al-Awwal of Islamic calendar.

Samarra is considered a holy city for Shia where three Shia Imams are buried. This city has always been a target for anti- Shia extremists and many have lost their lives going toward this city. Not long ago anti- Shia extremists destroyed the shrine of the Shia Imams in Samarra in order to stop pilgrims from visiting this city. This attack was the worst of its kind since the demolition of shrines of four Shia Muslim Imams in Saudi Arabia on 1 May by King Ibn Saud.

The organization condemns the recent attacks to Shia Muslim pilgrims. Anti–Shia groups have attacked un-armed pilgrims many times and caused financial and emotional discomfort for them. Iraqi authorities must remember that in this sensitive period, Shia pilgrims and their security must be assured in Iraq. The Iraqi government can reunite Iraqi citizen again by protecting their security and right to freedom of religion.

S.R.W asks Iraqi government to use all its power to secure the Samarra and punish all who cause problems for piligirims

Convert if you wish to go Back to Your Homes….

Relocated Shia community is asked to change their religion so they can return to their homes…. Human rights violations could not get worst in Indonesia….
Between 160 to 200 Shia, including about 50 children, have been living in inadequate conditions at a sports complex in Sampang district on Madura Island since August 2012 when they were displaced after their village was attacked and burned down by anti- Shia group of around 500 people who attacked the community with sharp weapons and stones and injured and killed many Shia Muslims.
Indonesian authorities have gone too far in neglecting and ignoring the rights of Shia Muslims in this country. Since January the East Java provincial police have withdrawn the officers who had been protecting the community. In late December, the local authorities halted food supplies and medical services. Some of the children in the shelter have fallen sick over the last few weeks.

Now, to worsen the situation even more, the Indonesian authorities have given the Shia until March 2013 to convert to “Indonesia’s majority religion Sunni Islam” if they wish to return to their homes.
In May 2012, during its Universal Periodic Review at the Human Rights Council, the Indonesian government reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring the protection of freedom of religion and to address cases of religious intolerance. However Shia Muslims still face harassment, intimidation and attacks. And those who commit acts of violence against religious minorities are rarely punished and communities have been displaced by attacks.
The right to freedom of religion or belief is guaranteed in Article 18(1) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and Article 18 of the International Bill of Human Rights to which Indonesia is a state party.

Shia Rights Watch believes it is Indonesians government’s responsibility to

Ensure that the community is granted immediate access to essential services such as food and health services
Help Shia build their homes that were damaged or destroyed,
Guarantee the voluntary and dignified return of the Shia community to their homes,
And investigate, report, catch and punish those who violate human rights in this country.

S.R.W has sent letters to the Indonesian Embassy in US regarding the Shia rights violations in this country but did not get any respond back.

Car Bomb killed 8 Shia Muslims and injured 44 in Iraq

Attack against Shia Muslim in Iraq begin once again. According to Iraqi authorities, a car bomb has killed four Shia Muslim pilgrims as they were heading south. Anti-Shia terrorist used sticky bomb that they attach to the car.

Authorities also reported today that two car bombs went off in Salahudin Province, killing at least eight people and injuring 44 others.

A similar attack also claimed five lives and injured 10 others in the city of Hilla, south of Baghdad.

The latest wave of violence cames only a day after 40 people were killed and over 200 others wounded in a spate of terrorist attacks across the country.

The recent bomb attacks came in the wake of the killing of an Iraqi lawmaker along with three of his body guards and two other civilians in the western province of Anbar on January 13.

On December 31, 2012, over 20 people, including children, were killed and 80 others injured in a wave of attacks in several cities and towns in the country.

SRW condemn the violence and ask Iraqi government to increase the security while they are looking for group responsible for violence.

SRW condemn the killing 90 Shia Muslim in Quetta

Shia Rights Watch strongly condemns the ongoing violence targeting Shia Muslims in Quetta Pakistan.

A series of anti-Shia attacks targeted Shia Muslims in Pakistan in January 10th, 2013. About 90 Shia Muslims were killed and 123 injured in two bombs blasts on the Alamdar Road in Quetta Pakistan.

Following the attack, thousands of Shia Muslims participated in the Sit-In protest , with the 87 Bodies in front of them. The families have not buried the bodies of their loved ones and instead have held the funeral until the government listens to their demands and take action against Shia targeted killings.

Previously SRW contacted Pakistani government through Pakistani Embassy in Washington DC asking them to put more effort to protect the Shia Muslims from Anti-Shia terrorist groups but the Pakistan Embassy in US did not reply to our emails and letters.

According to USCIRF, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, a Sunni militant group affiliated with the Pakistani Taliban, claimed responsibility for the attack. In the year 2012 many attacks have targeted religious processionals and pilgrims travelling to religious sites as well.

Pakistan Government’s silence is worsening the situation every day. There are many Shia Muslims and other minorities in the country that are being discriminated against. Pakistan is among countries where Shia have no security and serious actions are needed to stop the violence.

Shia Rights Watch Condemns the Terrorist Attacks Against Shia in Iraq and Pakistan

Shia Rights Watch Condemns of the recent terrorist attacks that targeted hundreds of Shia civilians in Iraq and Pakistan. Several official sources confirmed, in both Iraq and Pakistan, that targets were hundreds of unarmed civilians including vulnerable children and elderly who gathered to celebrate Arbaeen. Arbaeen is one of the very important Shia celebrations.
Terrorist organizations associated with extremist groups in Saudi Arabia and Qatar declared adoption of such crimes pursuant to political agendas and allow the killing of militant religious In order to filter them intellectually and ideologically.
More than ten people died and more than forty wounded after car bombs explosion in Iraq and 19 Shia pilgrims were killed due to a car bomb explosion when their bus passed about thirty kilometers from Quetta, capital of Balochistan in Pakistan.
Therefore Shia Rights Watch calls on the international community for urgent action to work to stop funding and arming terrorist organizations in Iraq, Pakistan and some other Muslim countries.

Welcome to Shia Rights Watch

Letter to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon , Ref: Bahrain Peace Dialogue