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| Arabia |
| Amnesty slams Saudi Arabia over Shia cleric verdict |
| 2014-08-15 |
| [Iran Press TV] ...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. When the oil runs out the rest of the world is going to kick sand in the Soddy national face... for handing down a harsh verdict to a leading Shia holy man in the country. A court in the Saudi kingdom has given the Shia holy man an eight-year jail term and a ten-year travel ban. He has also been barred from delivering religious sermons. "Sheikh Tawfiq al-Amr is the latest Shia holy man to pay a very high price for refusing to be silenced," said Said Boumedouha, The holy man has been charged with criticizing the country's ruling system and calling for political reform. "Daring to peacefully criticize Saudi Arabia's rulers is no reason to end up behind bars. He must be released immediately in connection with these charges," Boumedouha added. Sheikh Tawfiq al-Amer has been tossed in the clink Drop the heater, Studs, or you're hist'try! several times over his calls on the Saudi government for giving Shias further freedom to exercise their religious rights. "The conviction of Sheikh Tawfiq al-Amr by a special security and counterterrorism court reveals the extent to which the Saudi Arabian judicial system is arbitrary and unfair. Had the holy man signed a pledge not to deliver religious sermons, he would have currently been a free man. Yet the authorities seemed concerned about one thing alone which is how to punish him harsher for not obeying them," said Said Boumedoua. |
| Posted by:Fred |