Bahrainis Protest Saudi Death Verdict for Scholar

Local Editor

Bahraini demonstraters protested on the streets in Sitra Island on Sunday to show solidarity with the Saudi cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, who has been in prison for two years and has been sentenced to death by Saudi Arabia.

Sheikh Nimr was attacked, injured and arrested by Saudi security forces as he was en route to his house in the Qatif region of Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province on July 8, 2012.
He has been charged by Saudi Arabia with disturbing the country's security, giving anti-government speeches and defending political prisoners.

Moreover, Eastern Province has been the scene of clashes between anti-regime protesters and Saudi forces for about three years.

Riyadh has recently sentenced several Muslims to prison over what authorities call insulting the country's national flag. 

Activists say there are over 30,000 political prisoners in Saudi Arabia.
Furthermore, international human rights organizations have criticized 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.

Bahrain has also launched a heavy-handed crackdown on anti-regime protesters since the uprising against the ruling Al-Khalifa broke out across the Persian Gulf kingdom in February 2011. Troops from Saudi Arabia have been deployed to Bahrain to assist in its crackdown on the peaceful protesters.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team