Welcome to Shia Rights Watch

spot_imgspot_imgspot_imgspot_img
HomePublicationsShia News Wire #56

Shia News Wire #56

February 20th to 26th, 2016

Saudi Arabia

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

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

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

Nigeria

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

Iraq

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

Syria

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

RELATED ARTICLES
spot_imgspot_imgspot_imgspot_img

Most Popular