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| Saudi Arabia executes prominent Shiite cleric and 46 others in 12 cities | |
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| BEIRUT — Prominent Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr was among 47 people beheaded by Saudi Arabia on Saturday, in a move that risks an angry response from across the Shiite world, including Iran, the kingdom's main regional rival. | BEIRUT — Prominent Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr was among 47 people beheaded by Saudi Arabia on Saturday, in a move that risks an angry response from across the Shiite world, including Iran, the kingdom's main regional rival. |
| The official Saudi Press Agency listed Nimr’s name among 47 people who were executed on Saturday morning in the capital Riyadh and 11 other cities. | The official Saudi Press Agency listed Nimr’s name among 47 people who were executed on Saturday morning in the capital Riyadh and 11 other cities. |
| Nimr, 56, was a key figure in the protests that erupted among Sunni Saudi Arabia’s Shiite minority in 2011, inspired by the Arab spring revolts elsewhere in the region. His execution could stir renewed unrest among Shiites in the kingdom, and risks a harsh response from Iran, which has warned in the past that carrying out the death sentence on Nimr could cost Saudi Arabia dearly. | Nimr, 56, was a key figure in the protests that erupted among Sunni Saudi Arabia’s Shiite minority in 2011, inspired by the Arab spring revolts elsewhere in the region. His execution could stir renewed unrest among Shiites in the kingdom, and risks a harsh response from Iran, which has warned in the past that carrying out the death sentence on Nimr could cost Saudi Arabia dearly. |
| It could also ignite unrest in neighboring Bahrain, where widespread protests among the country’s Shiite majority against the Sunni royal family were quelled by Saudi military intervention in 2011. | It could also ignite unrest in neighboring Bahrain, where widespread protests among the country’s Shiite majority against the Sunni royal family were quelled by Saudi military intervention in 2011. |
| Condemnations began pouring in from Shiite figures and organizations around the region, with a prominent Iranian cleric predicting that repercussions of the execution would herald an end to the Saudi royal family. | Condemnations began pouring in from Shiite figures and organizations around the region, with a prominent Iranian cleric predicting that repercussions of the execution would herald an end to the Saudi royal family. |
| “I have no doubt that this pure blood will stain the collar of the House of Saud and wipe them from the pages of history,” Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami, a member of the Assembly of Experts and a Friday prayer leader, was quoted as saying by the Mehr news agency, according to Reuters. | “I have no doubt that this pure blood will stain the collar of the House of Saud and wipe them from the pages of history,” Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami, a member of the Assembly of Experts and a Friday prayer leader, was quoted as saying by the Mehr news agency, according to Reuters. |
| Yemen’s Houthi rebels also denounced the execution on their website, and the Lebanese Supreme Shiite Council, the country’s top Shiite religious authority, called it a “grave mistake.” | Yemen’s Houthi rebels also denounced the execution on their website, and the Lebanese Supreme Shiite Council, the country’s top Shiite religious authority, called it a “grave mistake.” |
| Iran had earlier warned Saudi Arabia on several occasions not to go ahead with the death sentence, first handed down by a court in October 2014. | Iran had earlier warned Saudi Arabia on several occasions not to go ahead with the death sentence, first handed down by a court in October 2014. |
| “Saudi Arabia will pay a heavy price for the execution of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr,” Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said after an appeals court upheld the sentence last October. | “Saudi Arabia will pay a heavy price for the execution of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr,” Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said after an appeals court upheld the sentence last October. |
| Leading Shiite figures around the world had also urged Saudi Arabia not to execute the cleric, including the widely influential Ayatollah Ali Sistani, who lives in the Iraqi city of Najaf, and the head of Lebanon’s Hezbollah militia, Hassan Nasrallah. | Leading Shiite figures around the world had also urged Saudi Arabia not to execute the cleric, including the widely influential Ayatollah Ali Sistani, who lives in the Iraqi city of Najaf, and the head of Lebanon’s Hezbollah militia, Hassan Nasrallah. |
| State television also reported the executions, posting mugshots of all those who were executed while playing solemn music, the Associated Press reported. | State television also reported the executions, posting mugshots of all those who were executed while playing solemn music, the Associated Press reported. |
| Nimr was arrested by Saudi security forces in 2012, after being shot in the legs during a car chase in the mostly Shiite eastern province of Qatif, where the protests had been concentrated. | Nimr was arrested by Saudi security forces in 2012, after being shot in the legs during a car chase in the mostly Shiite eastern province of Qatif, where the protests had been concentrated. |
| He had been charged with “instigating unrest and undermining the kingdom’s security,” as well as delivering speeches against the government and defending political prisoners. | He had been charged with “instigating unrest and undermining the kingdom’s security,” as well as delivering speeches against the government and defending political prisoners. |
| His nephew, Ali Mohammed al-Nimr, was sentenced last year to death by crucifixion for participating in the protests while he was 16 or 17 years old, also drawing widespread international condemnation. | His nephew, Ali Mohammed al-Nimr, was sentenced last year to death by crucifixion for participating in the protests while he was 16 or 17 years old, also drawing widespread international condemnation. |
| Saudi Arabia has carried out at least 157 beheadings in the past year, a record number according to human rights groups. Most of the 47 executed on Saturday had been convicted for participating in Al Qaeda related attacks in the past decade, the Associated Press said. Two were citizens of Egypt and Chad, and the rest were Saudi nationals. | Saudi Arabia has carried out at least 157 beheadings in the past year, a record number according to human rights groups. Most of the 47 executed on Saturday had been convicted for participating in Al Qaeda related attacks in the past decade, the Associated Press said. Two were citizens of Egypt and Chad, and the rest were Saudi nationals. |