Saudi Arabia’s mass execution of 47 men on terrorism charges has unleashed anger at home and beyond. Prominent Shi’ite cleric Nimr al-Nimr was
ADVERTISEMENTSaudi Arabia’s mass execution of 47 men on terrorism charges has unleashed anger at home and beyond.
Prominent Shi’ite cleric Nimr al-Nimr was amongst those executed on Saturday.
The Saudi embassy in the capital of mainly Shi’ite Iran was stormed by protesters, who ransacked the offices and started fires in the building.
Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamanei condemned Saudi Arabia for the second day on Sunday (January 3) saying politicians in the Sunni kingdom would face divine retribution for the cleric’s death.
The two regional rivals were already at odds with each other over an ongoing conflict in Yemen where Saudi-led fighters are battling against the Iran-backed Houthi rebel movement.
Crowds of Shi’ite Muslims marched through Saudi Arabia’s majority Shi’ite Qatif district to protest against the cleric’s execution.
Al-Nimr was convicted after a political and grossly unfair trial, according to Amnesty International.
The Saudi cleric was described as a thorn in the side of the Saudi authorities, an outspoken and long-standing critic of the kingdom’s discriminatory policies against its Shi’ite minority.
He was executed along with three other Shi’ites and dozens of Sunni jihadists.
(photo: Isna)
Re-posting my piece for
alaraby_en</a> on Shk Nimr's death sentence - includes <a href="https://twitter.com/TobyMatthiesen">TobyMatthiesenali_adubisi</a>'s thoughts <a href="https://t.co/oby4s1sztp">https://t.co/oby4s1sztp</a></p>— Daniel Wickham (DanielWickham93) January 2, 2016
Nimr family urge Qatif people to respond to Sheikh Nimr execution by “continuing to demand their rights peacefully”. pic.twitter.com/6oycb6V1nr
— Rori Donaghy (@roridonaghy) January 3, 2016