Saudi Shia cleric 'sentenced to death'

[webfact]

Saudi Shia cleric Nimr al-Nimr 'sentenced to death'

RIYADH: -- A court in Saudi Arabia has sentenced a prominent Shia cleric to death, his brother has said on Twitter.

Sheikh Nimr Baqir al-Nimr went on trial in Riyadh last year after being accused by prosecutors of "sowing discord" and "undermining national unity".

The cleric was a vocal supporter of the mass anti-government protests that erupted in Eastern Province in 2011.

His arrest two years ago, during which he was shot and wounded by police, triggered days of deadly unrest.

Oil-rich Eastern Province is home to a Shia majority that has long complained of marginalisation at the hands of the Sunni royal family.

Protests began there in February 2011 after the start of the pro-democracy uprising in neighbouring Bahrain, which has a Shia majority and a Sunni royal family.

The Saudi authorities deny discriminating against Shia and blame Iran for stirring up discontent.

Full story: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-29627766


-- BBC 2014-10-15

[ggt]

Man...these Muslim countries...fight amongst themselves...fight the Western world...infighting among different groups within the same country...and just for good measure...are working on destroying Israel...what a great way to live...

Hate is not a crime there...it is a way of life...

[Chicog]

That's going to go down like a lead balloon.

I'm guessing Saudi has bumped up tear gas imports in anticipation.

[Scott]

Inflammatory post removed.

[arjunadawn]

Recently Saudi Arabia expanded its "connections" with other GCC (Gulf Cooperation Countries) militarily. This was a big deal as there are large Shia populations throughout this area and in some emirates/countries sunni minorities lead. Thus any instigation by shia Iran that results in instability to SA neighbors also poses a direct threat to SA. In this case, I would suspect he was indicted and convicted less for being shia and more for instigating separatism. Indeed, shia or sunni majority, SA exists constantly as nearly 1/2 illegitimate to their own people. But the fact remains, underlying reports such as these, that Iran is stoking sedition in a number of GCC places; this is part of the backstory to the IS debacle- the proxy manueverings of Sunni/shia and the west.

[Chicog]

Well I believe he was also calling for the assassination of certain GCC royals, which is never a wise thing to do.

[mysticpaki]

UNFORTUNATELY HATE HATE AND MORE HATE