Alwaght-Thousands of residents of the restive eastern Saudi Arabian city of Qatif have held a demonstration to protests against the suppressive measures of the Saudi regime and express solidarity with political detainees, particularly prominent Islamic cleric Nimr Baqir al-Nimr.
This is the third Friday in a row that a mass protest is being held in solidarity with Sheikh Nimr and other death row detainees.
Activists say three of them were minors at the time of their arrest after pro-democracy protests that began in 2011 in eastern Saudi Arabia.
Sheikh Nimr was a driving force behind the protests that developed into a call for equality in the kingdom, where many Shiites have complained of marginalization.
This week’s protest rally was held on the occasion of the death anniversary of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) on Friday and was attended by people from all social strata in the region including leading religious figures in the city of Qatif.
In October 2014, a Saudi court sentenced Sheikh Nimr to death, provoking widespread global condemnations.
The Saudi Supreme Court and an appellate court recently approved the execution of Ayatollah Nimr and authorized the Saudi Interior Ministry to carry out the sentence. The warrant still needs to be approved by the Saudi king.
In a recent letter to United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Zeid al-Hussein, the Islamic Human Rights Commission called for exerting pressure on Riyadh to revoke the death sentence and release the cleric immediately.
Amnesty International said in late November that Sheikh Nimr and five other activists were at imminent risk of execution and were "clearly convicted in unfair trials".
The Saudi Supreme Court and an appellate court approved the execution of Ayatollah Nimr and authorized the Saudi Interior Ministry to carry out the sentence. The warrant still needs to be approved by the Saudi king.
Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province has been experiencing protests since February 2011, with residents demanding reforms, freedom of expression, the release of political prisoners, and an end to widespread discrimination against the Shiite majority oil-rich region.
