World Muslims Rise to Condemn Execution of Sheikh Nimr by Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia announced Saturday that it has executed the prominent Shiite Muslim cleric.

 

After the declaration, thousands of Bahraini people poured to the streets and chanted "death to the al-Saud" slogans.

 

The Bahrainis who also carried some placards to show their support for Sheikh Nimr warned Riyadh that shedding the cleric's blood will not remain unanswered.

 

Lebanon's Hezbollah, Yemen's Ansarullah, Pakistan's Shiite Assembly and tens of Sunni and Shiite figures, groups and movements across the world have rushed to condemn the Saudi regime, all underlining that Riyadh has poured oil to the flames of sectarian strife.

 

In Palestine, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) in a statement condemned the killing of the prominent Muslim cleric, and said, "The execution of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr shows that Saudi Arabia insists on pouring oil to the flames of sectarian sedition."

 

Sheikh Nimr's execution was also condemned by Head of Iraq's Badr Organization Hadi al-Ameri who expressed deep regret after hearing the news.

 

The Iranian Sunni figures also showed reaction to the Saudi cleric's killing by Saudi Arabia.

 

Molawi Abdolhamid Ismailzehi, the Friday prayers leader of Iran's Southeastern city of Zahedan, expressed deep regret over Sheikh Nimr's execution, and said under the conditions that the Muslim world needs unity, the Saudi officials should have refrained from his killing.

 

On October 25, Nimr’s family confirmed that the Saudi Supreme Court and the Specialized Appeals Court had endorsed a death sentence issued last year against him for inciting sectarian strife and disobeying King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. The cleric has denied the charges.

 

The Shiite cleric’s lawyer, Sadeq al-Jubran, had also said that Nimr could be executed as soon as the Saudi monarch approves his sentence.

 

Human rights organizations have condemned Saudi Arabia for failing to address the rights situation in the kingdom. They say Saudi Arabia has persistently implemented repressive policies that stifle freedom of expression, association and assembly.