International Youth Day, 2020

Shia Rights Watch observes August 12 as the International Youth Day.

Designated by the United Nations in 1999, International Youth Day celebrates young people’s actions and engagement in political, economic, and social processes.

Approximately 26% of the international population is under the age of 15, yet the group is underrepresented in policy making and enforcement.

Shia Rights Watch recognizes youth as the architects of tomorrow. Engaging youth in social processes strengthens existing systems, creates opportunities for citizenship, and bridges the gap between the present and the future.

Youth from minority groups face increased barriers. Many Shia Muslim youth report feeling marginalized and limited in opportunities when identified in faith. Those who live in climates of violence face constant threats to their lives and others who practice as minorities face discrimination daily.

All youth deserve protection- regardless of their religious identity.

On this International Youth Day, Shia Rights Watch commits to building a better tomorrow. We acknowledge the needs of young people, especially those with minority status, and call on all constituents of the international community to promote a future without violence and discrimination.

Happy Eid al-Ghadeer

Shia Rights Watch expresses warm wishes to observers of Eid al-Ghadeer.

Eid al-Ghadir calls for respect for all religions and sects. It promotes democracy and freedom for all segments of the people and in all countries of the world. It is a day that guarantees the realization of social justice for all.

Eid al-Ghadeer in an occasion that commemorates the sermon given by Prophet Mohammad after his final Hajj, or the “Farewell Pilgrimage” as noted by historians. The Prophet stood upon a pulpit made of rocks and toolings and spent an approximate 3 hours speaking to his constituents of the basics of the religion. On that day, the Prophet repeated nearly 100 verses of the Holy Quran and emphasized the weight of deeds in the future 73 times.

The event of Ghadeer is marked in both Shia and Non-Shia history.

Shia Muslims use the day of Ghadeer as an occasion to reflect on the final words of the Prophet and serves as a reminder of Islamic values. On this day, Shia Muslims gather in unison, shaking hands and taking an oath of camaraderie.

Shia Rights Watch congratulates observers of this auspicious occasion and promotes social justice for all.

Incidents of Anti-Shiism, July 2020

The month of July stood witness to 406 individual incidents of violence, mainly in the countries of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Iraq.

Shia Rights Watch emphasizes that reports of anti-Shiism serve as the tip of the iceberg. Many cases of Anti-Shiism are not reported due to fear of violence. Moreover, incidents of direct violence have a higher degree of reporting in comparison to systemic or cultural anti-Shiism. Shia Rights Watch notes that detriments caused by anti-Shiism are wave-like, influencing families and communities, beyond the individual.

Afghanistan

Over 67% of violence reported in July took place in the nation of Afghanistan. Explosions across Ghazni, Samangan, Ghor, Baghlan, and Kabul left 157 individuals dead or injured. Many of those deceased were women and children.

All of the reported incidents of violence were initiated by Taliban enforcers and were designed to inflict maximum loss of life to civilians identified as Shia Muslims.

The attacks in Ghazni, Samangan, Baghlan, and Kabul consisted of car bombs or roadside detonations targeting travelers.

In late July, the United Nations reported an overall 13% decline in violence against civilians in Afghanistan compared to the first six months of 2019. Nonetheless, anti-Shia violence remains prominent and at a higher rate compared to violence targeting the general public.

Moreover, while the reduction of violence is promoted as a function of the peace agreement between Shia Rights Watch highlights the reduction of the congregation and social activity related to the COVID-19 pandemic as the main reason for the decline reported by the United Nations.

Pakistan

Two mass anti-Shiism incidents were reported to Shia Rights Watch in July, one in Quetta and another in the Parachinar. The incidents resulted in the loss of life and injury of 29 Shia Muslims.

The detonation of a bomb on the 21st lead to the death of seven and the injury of one in Quetta. Quetta, the capital of the Baluchistan province, is home to a dense population of Shia Muslims, many of which are members of the Hazara community.

On the 23rd of July, a bombing in an open-air market in Parachinar, a majority Shia populated town in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province which borders Afghanistan. The bomb resulted in the injury of 28 Shia Muslims. Many of those injured are in critical condition. Parachinar was the target of extremist violence on numerous occasions in 2019 based on its dense Shia population.

In recent years, efforts have been by the Pakistani government to apprehend perpetrators of direct violence against Shia Muslims. None-the-less, authorities have failed to recognize Shia Muslims as a group with a higher rate of targeting by terror organizations, and anti-Shia rhetoric remains prominent across the country.

Saudi Arabia

In July, raids in Shia dominant neighborhoods in Saudi Arabia have been prominent forms of anti-Shiism.

Several individuals were also arrested amidst the raids, one of whom was Ali Abdul Wahid Taqi. Another from the town of Safwa was shot and injured by government forces.

Raids in the Kingdom have long been used as forms of intimidation. Shia Muslims live as inferior citizens and are frequently limited in religious expression.

Bahrain

Despite being a Shia – majority nation, the Kingdom of Bahrain is plagued with anti-Shia sentiments. Shia Muslims live as second class citizens and are limited in expression and free speech.

In the month of July, raids, arrests, and the thwarting of protests against death sentences were prominent in Bahrain.

Authorities have upheld the death sentence for 12 pro-democracy activists. More than a dozen groups have signed open letters in protest, and 19,000 tweets and online posts have been made, calling on the King to commute the sentences on accounts of torture, extractions, and lacking due process.

The letter called for commuted death sentences for Mohammed Ramadhan and Hussain Ali Moosa, stating,

“We, the undersigned organizations, urge you to commute the death sentences of Mohamed Ramadhan and Hussain Ali Moosa, who have exhausted all legal remedies available to them after the Court of Cassation upheld their death sentences,”

Ramadhan and Moosa, along with ten others, await ratification from the King after exhausting all legal avenues. Their sentences are based upon confession extracted after torture, including but not limited to threats to family members and being suspended by the limbs for days.

Across the month, the towns and neighborhoods of Jid Hafs, al-Bilad al-Qadim, Akkar, Abu Saiba, and al-Musalla were raided by authorities. Locals report raids as attempts to intimidate against activism.

Iraq

Nine individual incidents of anti-Shiism have led to the injury and death of 18 Shia Muslims. Consistent with previous months, Baghdad and Diyala were locations with higher frequencies of direct violence.

Anti-Shiism in Iraq was in the form of explosions and targeted shootings. Officials have identified ISIS assailants as perpetrators of bombings targeting travel routes and Shia neighborhoods.

Iraq continues to struggle to quell ISIS re-expansion amidst the reorganization of forces in efforts to enforce COVID-19 quarantine requirements. Iraq’s fast action to limit the spread of COVID-19 was successful largely due to the support of the countries military. Meanwhile, however, researchers have noted an increase in the number of ISIS activities during the first six months of 2020. Given the recent rise in the spread of the virus, concerns of feeble efforts against ISIS activity grow. Military officials have announced the resurrection of ISIS power, noting increased complexity in attacks and an increase in improvised explosive device attacks and targeted shootings.

Best Eid al-Adha Wishes

Shia Rights Watch expresses best wishes on the occasion of Eid al-Adha.

Eid al-Adha, or the Festival of Sacrifice, is an international occasion marked by all Abrahamic religions. Traditionally, Muslims celebrate in communion and charitableness. Young and elderly join together, expressing the promotion of global citizenship.

This year, Muslim communities worldwide practice with respect to efforts to reduce the spread of the novel Coronavirus. Many cities have adopted online and virtual platforms to ensure the safety of their immediate neighbors, a value which aligns with Eid al-Adha: prosociality.

As an organization dedicated to the advocacy of human rights and the promotion of sustainable peacebuilding, Shia Rights Watch observes Eid al-Adha with the remembrance of sacrifices made by activists worldwide.

Thus far, in 2020 alone, 1374 incidents of Anti-Shiism have been reported. Despite its vastness, the reported number is not believed to reflect the real hardships Shia Muslims face as communities, and social infrastructures battle the Coronavirus pandemic. Many Shia communities now have to battle discrimination and prejudice within health management services, in addition to the constant threat of direct violence which plagues their countries.

Shia Rights Watch notes that values central to Eid al-Adha are not a one-day observance. This day serves as a reminder that we are all members of a singular global community and calls for the renewal of year-round prosocial efforts.

Shia Rights Watch congratulates observers of Eid al-Adha and looks forward to another year in pursuit of international peace.

Incidents of Anti-Shiism, June 2020

Shia Rights Watch presents a monthly analysis of the trends of Anti-Shiism, as reported by activists and survivors. Anti-Shiism, direct and indirect, crosses international borders. Shia Muslims all over the world face unique hardships based on their religious identity.

In June, Shia Muslims in the countries of Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Iraq, Nigeria, and Pakistan reported Anti-Shiism. The nature of violence is unique to each state and chronicled below.

Moreover, this report highlights several happenings in the pursuit of justice, including but not limited to the release of Nabeel Rajab in Bahrain, reparations for wrongful brutality in Nigeria, and the discovery of a mass grave in Iraq.

Azerbaijan

In late June, Azerbaijani officials destroyed Hazrat Zahra Mosque in Baku. In 2008, a demolition attempt was made in 2008. However, with the steadfast demonstration of activists, the demolition was postponed. Since then, many of the activists have been detained by the Republic.

Natives report that the mosque was a symbol of resistance against anti-religion policies. With the recent successful demolition, the government signaled an ongoing country-wide offensive against religious expression.

Bahrain

Early in June, activist Nabeel Rajab was released under the Alternative Penal Code. In a statement, his family announced, “God blessed us today with the release of our dear brother Nabeel Rajab from prison, under the umbrella of the alternative penal code, where he will serve the remaining three years of his sentence in an alternative sentence defined by legal controls.”

A prominent human rights activist and an active influencer of the 2011 protests, Nabeel was arrested and sentenced to a five-year term in 2018.

In June, 22 incidents of Anti-Shiism were reported to Shia Rights Watch. Violations against detainees and deprivation of fundamental rights made up a significant portion of reported cases of anti-Shiism.

Much of the limitations were in correspondence with days of religious significance. Prison officials tried to prevent religious expression and thwarted proclamations of faith.

Prisoners faced physical violence, including torture.

Shia detainees in Jaws Prison and Dry Docks Prison face uncertain futures. Many are left with debilitating conditions and no medical attention. The family of 17-year-old Sayed Ahmed Sayed Majeed Mahdi Fadhl report denial of treatment. His mother stated, “How can we bear this and be reassured about our children’s [conditions], as they have been deprived of living among their families, of freedom and education?! Is there someone that understands their suffering and our suffering due to separation from our children?'”

Fadhl was arrested three years ago and sentenced to 10 years and six months. He is currently serving time in the juvenile section of Dry Dock Prison.

Iraq

Late in the month, a mass grave was unearthed in the village of Humeydat, west of Mosul. While the exact number of bodies remains to be identified, officials suspect victims to be that of the 600 Shia individuals taken from the local Badoush Prison in 2014. According to witnesses, Daesh assailants rounded up 1,500 inmates and separated the Shia Muslims, killing and burying them, while setting the non-Shia free.

The investigation into the mass grave has been slow and limited by the plague of Coronavirus in the country.

Apart from the mass grave, 24 incidents of anti-Shiism have been reported to Shia Rights Watch.

Violence is prominent in northern cities of the country and takes the form of explosive devices, mortar shells, and targeted shootings. Local authorities have expressed concern that the reduction of available forces due to Coronavirus containment efforts across the country may allow for increased violence by Daesh assailants. None-the-less attempts to identify and disassemble terror organization cells across the country continue.

Nigeria

The Federal High Court in Abuja awarded a total of 15 million Nigerian Naira to three members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria over wrongful death. Justice Taiwo Taiwo ordered the National Hospital to release the bodies of Suleiman Shehu, Mahdi Musa, and Bilyaminu Abubakar Faska and their families to be paid 5 million Nigerian Naira each. Shehu, Musa, and Faska were among four killed by police on July 22, 2019. The body of Askari Hassan, the fourth in the case, is kept in Asokoro District Hospital.

The case brought forth also asked for an official and formal public apology in the media; the judge did not grant the request.

Pakistan

Intolerance against religious minorities, specifically those who follow the Shia faith, stood as a barrier to public health efforts.

Anzala Zahra Kazmi reported first-hand that a donor sought to give blood plasma for a COVID-19 positive individual, retracted willingness to give plasma once he became aware the recipient was a Shia Muslim.

Kazmi said, “I’ve come across many absurdities with respect to donors’ approach towards donation, but neither me nor my team had expected a refusal based on the faith of the recipient. The reason why I don’t want to name the donor is that my intention wasn’t to bash an individual, but to highlight the intolerant mindset sadly prevalent in our society.”

Early in the month, a minor was killed after his identity as a Shia Muslim was revealed. The assailant is yet to be apprehended.

Anti-Shiism Hinders the Combat of Coronavirus in Pakistan

While the world struggles to combat the novel Coronavirus, Anti-Shiism in Pakistan quells life-saving efforts.

On June 17th, the family of a Coronavirus patient in critical condition reached out to the community in search of a recovered Coronavirus patient to donate blood plasma with antibodies. With much effort, a donor was found.

Anzala Zahra Kazmi, an individual who sought out the donor reports upon finding out that the sick patient was of the Shia faith, the donor retracted his willingness to give plasma.

Kazmi said, “I’ve come across many absurdities with respect to donors’ approach towards donation, but neither me nor my team had expected a refusal based on the faith of the recipient. The reason why I don’t want to name the donor is that my intention wasn’t to bash an individual, but to highlight the intolerant mindset sadly prevalent in our society.”

This is not the first time intolerance against religious minorities has countered efforts to combat the disease.

In March, volunteers from a non-governmental organization with ties to the Ahmadiya community were forced out of Karachi’s Dehli Colony as several residents cited the volunteer’s religious identity.

In other areas of Pakistan, minority Christian denominations were also prevented from receiving aid.

While it would be expected that the presence of deadly disease would overpower biases, incidents of religious discrimination highlight the extent of dehumanization that fuels cultural violence in Pakistan. In the case of the donor in Islamabad, anti-Shiism in a layperson was deep enough to justify watching a countryman die while actively withholding life-saving material.

In Karachi, the mere receipt of aid from a member of the Ahmadi community is considered demeaning as some would rather live in poverty than to interact with the religious minority.

Minority groups in Pakistan face the threat of extinction every day, and of those minority groups, Shia Muslims are one of the most targeted.

At least one of every five Pakistani is Shia Muslim. Over the years, the Shia of Pakistan have been specifically targeted and killed by guns and suicide bombers. Shia populated neighborhoods face higher rates of violence in the hands of terrorists. None-the-less, the government of Pakistan has done little to protect its Shia Muslim constituents or to promote justice against anti-Shia violators.

In addition to facing violence at a higher prevalence, Shia Muslims receive the lowest rates of international and national recognition.

Disproportionate violence against Shia Muslims is an issue of international proportion.

The lack of support within humanitarian efforts for Shia Muslims is also not new. To be withheld of empathy is not unique to Shia in Pakistan as Shia all over the world face rationed humanity.

The lack of rapport with victims and survivors of Anti-Shiism is a global problem.

Moreover, many Shia Muslims report facing discrimination in obtaining assistance, not just across the Middle East, but also from providers based in the West.

In May, donations made to the family of Aya Hachem, a 19-year-old female killed in the United Kingdom, were withdrawn when her identity as a Shia Muslim became apparent. The widespread and gruesome anti-Shia sentiments became apparent through threads of twitter content within hours. In addition to recanting their condolences to the Hachem family, some made a point to preach the dreadful consequences of helping “rafidis,” or “those outside of religion.”

A substantial amount of the Anti-Shia content has since been removed as a result of the outcry from the Shia community.

None-the-less, the recent wave of discrimination against Shia Muslims is just a visible sample of Anti-Shia sentiment that exists within the international community. The refusal to donate plasma and the withdrawal of donations are emergent behaviors stemming from decades of unmet cultural violence against Shia Muslims.

Unless the dehumanization of Shia Muslims is addressed, international efforts will always be hindered. Shia Rights Watch highlights a need for combatting intolerances that enforce Anti-Shiism as a means of promoting international health measures. Efforts to combat the Coronavirus must include recognition of minority discrimination and include measures to counter cultural and systemic violence against Shia Muslims.

June 12, International Shia Day

June 12 marks International Shia Day, a day dedicated to recognizing hardships Shia Muslims as a minority group face.

International Shia Day was first instituted in 2015 in commemoration of the massacre that occurred at Camp Speicher in 2014 in which ISIS militants escorted upwards of 3,000 Iraqi soldiers from Camp Speicher, an Iraqi military base previously operated by the U.S.A., to Tikrit, an ISIS-controlled town 140 km north-west of Baghdad. Once they arrived in Tikrit, soldiers were divided by religious affiliation; the non-Shia allowed to live, the Shia condemned to death by firing squad.

Shia Rights Watch promotes International Day 2020 as an opportunity to reflect on biases and systemic racial, ethnic, and religious discriminations that plague the international community. On this day, rights to expression, practice, and even existence for groups marginalized must be recognized and discriminatory institutional systems must be reformed.

Shia Muslims, including Zaydis, Ismailis, and Twelvers, make up half of the world Muslim population. Yet, despite their vast existence, they have one of the highest rates of discrimination and violent targeting worldwide.

Shia Muslims are subjected to discrimination, imprisonment, and even execution for practicing their beliefs by not just terror groups, but also by governments who have systematized anti-Shiism within their domestic and foreign policies.

Violence against Shia Muslims does not differentiate victims by age, gender, location, or socioeconomic status. In 2020, Anti-Shiism led to the massacre of newborns and pregnant women in Kabul, Afghanistan, leaving a scene so horrific that Médecins Sans Frontières’ head of programs in Afghanistan, Frederic Bonnot said, “It’s shocking. We know this area has suffered attacks in the past, but no one could believe they would attack a maternity ward. They came to kill the mothers.”

The year 2020 showed the world that agents of Anti-Shiism not only ostracize Shia Muslim existence; they also disfavor humanitarian actions post-violence. This was most recently seen in the death of 19-year-old Aya Hachem and the abrupt withdrawal of donations to help her family after she was identified as Shia Muslim.

In 2019, an approximate 3,540 incidents of imprisonment, denaturalization, injury, loss of life, life-sentences, kidnapping, denial of services, arrests, and property damage targeting Shia Muslims were reported by Shia Rights Watch. The organization noted that this number is just the tip of the iceberg as the majority of Anti-Shia violence is not stated in fear of persecution.

Not only do people not report violence, they actively withhold their religious identity.

This International Shia Day, Shia Rights Watch calls on all individuals to stand proud in support of individual rights to exist. We all have the right to express our identities without the fear of being targeted. The right to Be is regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic status, and 2020 is the year to stand up for our brothers and sisters in humanity.

No longer can discrimination be justified. No longer can Anti-Shiism be vindicated. We will stand together.

Incidents of Anti-Shiism, May 2020

In the month of May, 59 incidents of Anti-Shiism occurred, resulting in a total death count of 79 people, the injury of 264, and the arrest of 3 others. Reported incidents were from the countries of Afghanistan, Bahrain, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan.

Shia Rights Watch notes that this report provides only a glimpse into the dynamics of Anti-Shiism in the world. Many incidents are not reported due to limitations in international networks and refusal to report by victims due to fear of reprisal.

Afghanistan

Five different incidents of Anti-Shiism lead to the death of over 50 individuals and the injury of 197 others.

Anti-Shiism attacks in May began as early as May 2 as a car bomb in Laghman left four wounded and three others dead. Two days later, an IED left outside a Shia mosque left 20 injured.

The most profound incident of violence was the bombing of the Dashte-Barchi maternity hospital in a Shia populated area of Kabul. On May 12, militant shooters dressed as police officers entered the hospital, shooting indiscriminately. Among those killed were multiple newborns and pregnant mothers, many of whom had traveled hundreds of miles for fertility treatments at Dashte Barchi. More than 80 women, children, and staff were evacuated.

After a post-incident visit to the hospital, the Médecins Sans Frontières’ head of programs in Afghanistan, Frederic Bonnot noted,

“I went back the day after the attack, and what I saw in the maternity ward demonstrates it was a systematic shooting of the mothers. They went through the rooms in the maternity ward, shooting women in their beds. It was methodical. Walls sprayed with bullets, blood on the floors in the rooms, vehicles burnt out, and windows shot through. It’s shocking. We know this area has suffered attacks in the past, but no one could believe they would attack a maternity ward. They came to kill the mothers.”

Attacks in the Shia sectors of Kabul are not new. In 2019, a significant percentage of those killed in terror attacks were Shia Muslims, deliberately targeted for their faith.

The attack on Dashte Barchi was a clear display of the extent of violence extremists in Afghanistan are willing to use to threaten the Shia existence.

On the same day, a suicide bombing took place in the Khewa District of the Nangarhar Province. The attack targeted funeral processions leaving 32 dead.

Following the May 12 attacks. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani stated, “In order to provide security for public places and to thwart attacks and threats from the Taliban and other terrorist groups, I’m ordering Afghan security forces to switch from an active defense mode to an offensive one and to resume their operations against the enemies.”

Despite President Ghani’s statement, no new efforts have been taken to protect Shia Muslims in Afghanistan.

Bahrain

Anti-Shiism in Bahrain presented as violations of the rights of detainees and baseless arrests.

On May 3, the family of Sheikh Abdullah Isa al-Mahroos, also known as Mirza al-Mahroos, reported authorities prevented al-Mahroos from emergency IBS surgery, despite doctors’ orders. Al-Mahroos, a prominent religious leader and the vice president of al-Zahraa Society of Orphans, was initially arrested in April 2011 and sentenced to 15 years. While detained, Al-Mahroos has reported severe pain in his legs, stomach, and back, as a result of torture and denied medical care.

In addition to hardships as a result of his absence, his family notes pressure authorities in attempts to force confessions from Al-Mahroos. His daughter, born days after his detainment has been denied a passport.

The case of Mirza al-Mahroos is just one of the violations of the rights of detainees in Jaws Prison. In May, numerous detainees were denied communication with their family members. In late May, when some detainees were allowed to communicate with their loved ones, they reported increased restrictions during Ramadan and punishment for individuals who practiced Shia Muslim rituals. Brothers Ali and Muhammad Fakhrawi were two detainees subjected to psychological and physical violence in response to their practice of Shia rituals.

Conditions in Jaws Prison are concerning, especially as arrests continue relentlessly.

Iraq

Shia Rights Watch records a total of 39 incidents of Anti-Shiism, which resulted in the injury of 67 and the death of approximately 30 people across Iraq. Attacks predominantly occurred in the city of Diyala, followed by Baghdad, Samarra, Khadhimiya, and Yusufiya. The primary aggressors were ISIS assailants aiming to maintain a foothold in the country.

The incidents, as mentioned earlier of Anti-Shiism, do not include foiled plots in Samarra and Baghdad.

An examination of the incidents in May highlights the real goal of ISIS in the country: to instill fear. Anti-Shiism in May resulted disproportionately in injuries, while opportunities to cause death existed.

Military officials in the country report an evolution in ISIS activity in the country, fueled mainly by the diversion of COVID-19. As COVID-19 sweeps across the international community, the reorganization of resources raises concern in Iraq.

As officials divert resources to maintain curfew and security for testing sites, ISIS assailants take advantage of reduced pressures and sophisticate their networks. Attacks across the country have become more sophisticated, presenting as, among others, improvised explosive devices, shootings, and ambushes. Since the emergence of the Virus, the prevalence of suicide bombings and coordinated assaults across locations, especially those at night, has increased substantially. Kirkuk has seen an almost 200% increase in violence and attacks have become daily in Diyala.

Shia Muslims exist in both Diyala and Kirkuk. Pockets of Shia presence witness a higher prevalence of attacks when compared to non-Shia neighborhoods.

Shia Rights Watch notes that endeavors aimed at controlling COVID-19 are essential but should not cloud the availability of resources dedicated to combating extremism in the country.

Saudi Arabia

Shia Muslims in Saudi Arabia are seen as deviants. Their beliefs are discounted and advertised as those outside the religion of Islam.

Ramadan coincided with May. Within the Holy month of Ramadan, Shia Muslims commemorate the death of Ali and the “Nights of Qadr.” On May 14, military forces raided the neighborhood of Umm al-Jazm in Qatif. Officers prevented the call to prayer. Residents reported members of the Shia congregations feeling targeted for their beliefs, noting the incident as yet another limitation in religious expression by the Saudi authorities.

Shia Muslims held within detention centers in Qatif and Al-Ahsa were also denied communicating with family members within Ramadan days, coinciding with days with Shia religious practice.

Shia Islam is not officially recognized in Saudi Arabia.

Pakistan

On May 27, terrorists attacked Farjad Hussain and Saleem Abbas in Gilgit Naltar Valley. The pair were boarding their car during a picnic on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr. They were identified as Shia Muslims as they listened to eulogies. Abbas died on the way to the hospital while Hussain lost his life immediately following the attack.

With terror organizations like Lashkar-e-Jhangvi active in Pakistan, Shia Muslims face danger daily. Shia Rights Watch highlights a need for recognizing Shia Muslims as an identity at heightened risk of violence in the hands of extremists. Until active measures to reduce Anti-Shiism are put in place, the lives of individuals will continue to be endangered by terror organizations.

Aya Hachem: Rationed Humanity

On May 17, Aya Hachem, a 19-year old student, was shot in the chest and killed on a trip to the grocery store. The Hachem family were refugees from Lebanon living in the United Kingdom.

Shia Rights Watch expresses its sincerest condolences for the family of Aya Hachem and voices concern over withdrawal of support for the family upon the realization that they are members of the Shia faith.

The case of Aya and the responses incited by her Shia faith sheds light on sentiments of anti-Shiism and the ever-existing discrimination against Shia Muslims.

Outraged by the targeting of the Hijabi female in the Holy month of Ramadan, the international community rose in commemoration. Within hours, sympathetic messages flooded social media, and numerous fundraisers were set up in her memory.

Despite the initial unity of supporters, it wasn’t long until the identification of the Hachem family as Shia Muslims led to the withdrawal of donations.

A thread of tweets among Muslim Twitter users shed light on the discriminatory sentiments that cloud fundraising.

On May 19, Twitter user @humbleackh1 tweeted, “I didn’t know she was a Shia… no way do I want to be in a situation where all this cause could go against me on the Day of Judgement.”

Twitter user @Hannanqazi_ raised 30000 Euros to build a mosque in Niger for Aya. Qazi stated, “The fact that the family aren’t in the best of financial situations and have only granted me to utilize £5000 to build the masjid in Niger for sister Aya. As the rest of the money will go towards the funeral costs and whatever additional costs the father may need to cover….”

The tweet was responded with cautions against “building a mosque in the case it’s a Rafidi/ Shia place of worship” and calls to “donate to a proper masjid.”

While many have denounced anti-Shia sentiments and expressed support for the Hachem family, the events that unfolded after the family was identified as Shia Muslims points to a prosperous culture of discrimination, a culture not foreign to members of the Shia faith.

On a global scale, Shia Muslims are targeted in bombings and shootings organized to limit Shia existence. Shia Muslims endure cultural and systemic violence that downgrades them as second-class citizens and leaves them in search of justice.

The lack of aid and support within humanitarian efforts for Shia Muslims is also not new. Many Shia Muslims report facing discrimination in obtaining funding, not just across the Middle East, but also from providers based in the West.

The story of Aya Hachem is yet another reminder that Anti-Shiism cannot be ignored. No longer can the international community turn a blind eye to violence against Shia Muslims.

“Microaggressions, erasure, deadly attacks, dismissiveness, and glaringly anti–Shia utterances are a burden we have carried on our backs for as long as we can remember. And the reality is that with every death, with every attack, and with every act of hatred against the Hazara Shias, against the Zakaria Al-Jabers, and the Aya Hachems of the world, we as Shia Muslims are reminded of one thing: beneath a layer of an ostensibly collective endurance of Islamophobia, our Shia identity leads us to a duality of internal empowerment and outward isolation – we live in a world where it often feels like we have no one but ourselves to lean on.” Wrote Danya Jafri, the Ahlul Bayt chair of Columbia University, in an article on May 20.

On this occasion, Shia Rights Watch pledges its support for Aya Hachem, and all Shia lives lost amidst a world of indifference.

No longer can we afford to remain silent against anti-Shiism.

Unparalleled Violence In Afghanistan Claims Lives of Newborns and Mothers

Shia Rights Watch expresses its condolences for the lives lost in the maternity ward attack in Kabul, Afghanistan.

The attack on Tuesday was unparalleled and demanded actions reciprocal in strength.

On May 12th, a militant attack on the Dashte-Barchi hospital in Kabul left 40 deceased and at least 16 others injured; 140 people are said to have been in the hospital at the time of the attack. Dashte-Barchi is located in a quarter of Kabul dense in Shia Muslims. Locals report consecutive blasts then gunfire beginning at 10 am. Panic ensued right after. Survivors say that attackers, dressed as police officers, shot at everyone.

One woman gave birth amidst the commotion.

Among those killed were newborn children, many of which were conceived after years of medical infertility treatment.

One prevailing story has been that of Zahra Muhammadi and her daughter-in-law, Zainab, who had traveled from Bamiyan to Dashte Barchi in hopes of finding reliable medical attention. Zainab’s son, Omid, was shot within hours of his birth.

“Today we’ll take [Omids] dead body to Bamiyan,” stated Zahra Muhammadi.

The hospital attack was one of two attacks on Tuesday. In Nangarhar, ISIS claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing that led to the death of more than 32. The New York Times approximates 100 people killed as a result of the two attacks.

Following the attack, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani stated, “In order to provide security for public places and to thwart attacks and threats from the Taliban and other terrorist groups, I’m ordering Afghan security forces to switch from an active defense mode to an offensive one and to resume their operations against the enemies.”

Attacks in the Shia sectors of Kabul are not new. Shia Muslims in Kabul live in constant fear of being targeted by radical extremism. In 2019, a significant percentage of those killed in terror attacks were Shia Muslims, deliberately targeted for their faith.

The attack on Dashte-Barchi was unprecedented in violence. The attack was a clear display of the extent of violence extremists in Afghanistan are willing to use to threaten the Shia existence in Kabul.

Shia Rights Watch notes that any action taken must recognize sentiments of anti-Shiism that fuel extremist activities across Afghanistan. Measures signed into effect must discretely include protection for Shia Muslims and call for national efforts to reduce anti-Shiism in the country.

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