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Saudi Arabia Puts 47 to Death, Including Prominent Shiite Cleric Saudi Arabia Puts 47 to Death, Including Prominent Shiite Cleric
(about 1 hour later)
BAGHDAD — Saudi Arabia carried out its first mass execution in more than three decades on Saturday, putting to death dozens of militants linked to Al Qaeda as well a prominent cleric who had criticized the government’s treatment of the country’s Shiite minority. BAGHDAD — Saudi Arabia carried out a mass execution on Saturday, putting to death dozens of militants linked to Al Qaeda as well as a prominent cleric who had criticized the government’s treatment of the country’s Shiite minority.
Saudi officials said the move sought to deter those committed to violence against the state. But analysts said the grouping of the cleric, Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, an outspoken campaigner for Shiite rights, with hardened Qaeda operatives was a threat to domestic dissidents and could further exacerbate sectarian tensions across the Middle East.Saudi officials said the move sought to deter those committed to violence against the state. But analysts said the grouping of the cleric, Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, an outspoken campaigner for Shiite rights, with hardened Qaeda operatives was a threat to domestic dissidents and could further exacerbate sectarian tensions across the Middle East.
The 47 executions, which were reported by the Saudi state news media, were the first of 2016 and followed a year in which at least 157 people were put to death, the most in two decades in the conservative Muslim kingdom.The 47 executions, which were reported by the Saudi state news media, were the first of 2016 and followed a year in which at least 157 people were put to death, the most in two decades in the conservative Muslim kingdom.
Sheikh Nimr, who was arrested in 2012, had harshly criticized the Sunni monarchy of neighboring Bahrain for its violent suppression of protests by its own Shiite population after the start of the so-called Arab Spring in 2011. The Saudi government accused him of fueling violent dissent among Saudi Arabia’s Shiites, which he denied.Sheikh Nimr, who was arrested in 2012, had harshly criticized the Sunni monarchy of neighboring Bahrain for its violent suppression of protests by its own Shiite population after the start of the so-called Arab Spring in 2011. The Saudi government accused him of fueling violent dissent among Saudi Arabia’s Shiites, which he denied.
The executions were carried out at a dozen sites across the kingdom; four involved firing squads, while the rest were beheadings, said Maj. Gen. Mansour Turki, a spokesman for the Saudi Interior Ministry. While most executions in Saudi Arabia are held in public squares, Saturday’s were done inside prisons, General Turki said. The executions were carried out at a dozen sites across the kingdom; four involved firing squads, and the rest were beheadings, said Maj. Gen. Mansour Turki, a spokesman for the Saudi Interior Ministry. While most executions in Saudi Arabia are held in public squares, the ones on Saturday were done inside prisons, General Turki said.
Iran, a Shiite country and Saudi Arabia’s main regional rival, had warned that executing Sheikh Nimr “would cost Saudi Arabia dearly.”Iran, a Shiite country and Saudi Arabia’s main regional rival, had warned that executing Sheikh Nimr “would cost Saudi Arabia dearly.”
A spokesman for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, Hossein Jaberi-Ansari, condemned the execution. “It is clear that this barren and irresponsible policy will have consequences for those endorsing it and the Saudi government will have to pay for pursuing this policy,” he said, according to the Iranian Students News Agency. A spokesman for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, Hossein Jaberi-Ansari, condemned the execution. “It is clear that this barren and irresponsible policy will have consequences for those endorsing it, and the Saudi government will have to pay for pursuing this policy,” he said, according to the Iranian Students News Agency.
The cleric’s arrest, in July 2012, came as Saudi Arabia led a group of regional monarchies in violently pushing back against the pro-democratic activism and protests that swept the region during the Arab Spring.The cleric’s arrest, in July 2012, came as Saudi Arabia led a group of regional monarchies in violently pushing back against the pro-democratic activism and protests that swept the region during the Arab Spring.
The Saudi government’s fears of unrest prompted it to intervene to prop up the monarchy in Bahrain, which faced protests from a Shiite-led pro-democracy movement. In Saudi Arabia, the focal point of protests was in the oil-rich Eastern Province, where many Shiites live and often complain of official discrimination by the Sunni monarchy.The Saudi government’s fears of unrest prompted it to intervene to prop up the monarchy in Bahrain, which faced protests from a Shiite-led pro-democracy movement. In Saudi Arabia, the focal point of protests was in the oil-rich Eastern Province, where many Shiites live and often complain of official discrimination by the Sunni monarchy.
Sheikh Nimr, based in the Eastern Province town of Awamiyah, had long been a fierce critic of the monarchy and played a leading role in the protests. Hundreds of people demonstrated in the province after video emerged of his arrest, which showed him bleeding while in custody. The government said he had been wounded in a shootout. Sheikh Nimr faced charges including sedition and was sentenced to death in October 2014. Sheikh Nimr, based in the Eastern Province town of Awamiyah, had long been a fierce critic of the monarchy, and he played a leading role in the protests. Hundreds of people demonstrated in the province after video footage emerged of his arrest, which showed him bleeding while in custody. The government said he had been wounded in a shootout. Sheikh Nimr faced charges including sedition and was sentenced to death in October 2014.
The first reports of protests over the execution of Sheikh Nimr came from Bahrain, where about 100 people demonstrated in the Abu Saiba district, west of Manama, the capital, shortly after noon prayers. Riot police officers fired tear gas at demonstrators who chanted against the ruling families of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, and held pictures of Sheikh Nimr, according to a witness. The police stepped up patrols throughout the country.The first reports of protests over the execution of Sheikh Nimr came from Bahrain, where about 100 people demonstrated in the Abu Saiba district, west of Manama, the capital, shortly after noon prayers. Riot police officers fired tear gas at demonstrators who chanted against the ruling families of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, and held pictures of Sheikh Nimr, according to a witness. The police stepped up patrols throughout the country.
Saudi Arabia has recently faced accusations that its justice system, which is based on a strict interpretation of Shariah law, uses methods similar to those of the Islamic State extremist group. Saudi officials bristle at such comparisons, saying that unlike the Islamic State, which has made a trademark of its grisly videos of executions of captives and members of religious minorities, their government puts to death only people who have been convicted in court of grave crimes.Saudi Arabia has recently faced accusations that its justice system, which is based on a strict interpretation of Shariah law, uses methods similar to those of the Islamic State extremist group. Saudi officials bristle at such comparisons, saying that unlike the Islamic State, which has made a trademark of its grisly videos of executions of captives and members of religious minorities, their government puts to death only people who have been convicted in court of grave crimes.
In 2015, a year that began with the inauguration of a new monarch, King Salman, Saudi Arabia executed at least 157 people, up from 90 in 2014. Saudi officials have argued that the sharp increase, which was strongly criticized by human rights groups, reflected not a change in policy but a backlog of death sentences that had built up in the final years of the previous monarch, King Abdullah. The executions of at least 157 people in 2015, a year that began with the inauguration of a new monarch, King Salman, were a sharp increase from the 90 people put to death in 2014. Saudi officials have argued that the increase, which was strongly criticized by human rights groups, reflected not a change in policy but a backlog of death sentences that had built up in the final years of the previous monarch, King Abdullah.