Saudi Arabia executes 47 terror convicts, including Shiite cleric

January 2, 2016

Riyadh, Jan 2: Saudi Arabia executed 47 prisoners convicted of terrorism charges today, including a Shiite cleric who was a central figure in 2011 Arab Spring-inspired protests in the kingdom.

terroristThe killing of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr may spark new unrest among Saudi Arabia's Shiite minority, largely concentrated in the kingdom's east, and in Bahrain, which has seen low-level violence since 2011 protests by its Shiite majority demanding greater rights from its Sunni monarchy.

The cleric's name was on a list of the 47 carried by the state-run Saudi Press Agency. It cited the Interior Ministry for the information. Saudi state television also reported the executions.

Of those executed, Saudi Arabia said 45 were Saudi citizens, one was from Chad and another was from Egypt.

Saudi Arabia said a royal court order was issued to implement the sentences after all appeals had been exhausted. The executions were carried out today in the capital, Riyadh, and 12 other cities and towns, it said.

Al-Nimr had been a vocal critic of Bahrain's Sunni-led monarchy, which harshly suppressed the 2011 Shiite-led protests. Saudi Arabia sent troops to help Bahrain quash the uprising, fearing it would spread.

Amnesty International has called the verdict against the cleric, who was in his mid-50s, part of a campaign by Saudi authorities to "crush all dissent."

Before his arrest in 2012, al-Nimr had said the people do not want rulers who kill and carry out injustices against protesters. He was asked at his trial if he disapproves of the Al Saud ruling family.

"If injustice stops against Shiites in the east, then (at that point) I can have a different opinion," the cleric responded, according to his brother Mohammed, who attended court sessions and spoke to The Associated Press before the verdict.

Al-Nimr did not deny the political charges against him, but said he never carried weapons or called for violence.

In announcing the verdicts, Saudi state television showed mugshots of all those executed. Al-Nimr was No. 46, expressionless with a gray beard, his head covered with the red-and-white scarf traditionally worn by Saudi men.

After listing the names and images of those executed, Saudi state television showed black-and-white footage of previous terror attacks in the kingdom, one showing bodies in a mosque after an attack. Soft, traditional music played in the background.

Saudi Arabia carried out at least 157 executions in 2015, with beheadings reaching their highest level in the kingdom in two decades, according to several advocacy groups that monitor the death penalty worldwide.

Coinciding with the rise in executions is the number of people executed for non-lethal offenses that judges have wide discretion to rule on, particularly drug-related crimes.

Comments

CID
 - 
Monday, 4 Jan 2016

Killing of Shaik Al-Nimr is the Biggest mistake by Saudi. This will change whole political scenario of the Gulf.

Arvind
 - 
Monday, 4 Jan 2016

Another demonstration of the religion of Peace as practised by the people who invented it. Looked like pretty soon the KSA will be engulfed in terrorism. And innocent bystanders will be needlessly killed.

hamees
 - 
Monday, 4 Jan 2016

this incident was happened in 2011 it took 5 years to take final decision . if it is in India it would take more than 10 years, and one thing you have to remember is terrorist doesnt have a religion...

Rumi ahmed
 - 
Saturday, 2 Jan 2016

We should be thankful that we are in India and have a democratic set up,unlike most of the middle east kingdoms where at the behest of the ruling family any body can be executed fearing rebellion.

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News Network
January 5,2020

Bengaluru, Jan 5: BJP leader and Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa once again blamed the Congress of creating 'confusion' among the Muslim community over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act-2019 while launching a door to door campaign to dispel such rumors.

Yediyurappa was on a door-to-door campaign to make people aware of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and to allay their fears.

"Unnecessarily, the members of Congress are creating confusion among the Muslim community. I assure you that not a single Muslim will be affected because of CAA," said B. S. Yediyurappa.

"Almost all previous Prime Ministers have supported it, now Congress is creating a problem so as to create confusion among Muslims. That's why we are out on the door-to-door campaign," he said.

The Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019, seeks to grant Indian citizenship to Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist and Parsi refugees from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh and who entered India on or before December 31, 2014.

Comments

Active
 - 
Sunday, 5 Jan 2020

 

U may confuse people with such statements but WE MUSLIMS, DALITS and some of our other HINDU Brothers are not in any Confusion on the chronology of NPR, CAA and NCR..  WE are firm that we will never allow you to go ahead with these discriminatining laws

 People are NOT FOOLS to believe all your JUMLAS

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coastaldigest.com news network
July 8,2020

Mangaluru, Jul 8: A seven-day-old baby from Kallapu near Permannur village, within Ullal town limits in Mangaluru taluk has tested positive for COVID-19.

The baby’s mother, while pregnant, was admitted to a private hospital in the town on June 30. 

Her samples, which were sent for testing before delivery, reported positive, doctor said.

On Wednesday, the baby’s tests too reported positive for COVID-19.

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coastaldigest.com web desk
July 4,2020

Bengaluru, Jul 4: In a heart-wrenching incident, a 65-year-old coronavirus patient at Hanumath Nagar in South Bengaluru died outside his house waiting for an ambulance on Friday evening. The body was kept on the road for more three hours.

The deceased tested positive for coronavirus on Friday and immediately called an ambulance to reach a hospital. However, according to his family members, as he waited for the ambulance for nearly three hours, he collapsed on the road in front of his house complaining of breathlessness and died.

As the body lay unattended on the road, it began to rain heavily. Soon, videos of the body lying on the road in the heavy rain went viral on social media. 

A senior doctor in charge of the division, however, claimed that the ambulance had arrived in less than half an hour but the patient had died before they reached the spot. 

"The patient had given samples on Thursday at KIMS and tested positive on Friday. BBMP officials informed them that they would reach his house. But the man, fearing that he may be stigmatised in the locality, began walking to the corner of the road and collapsed on the street and died," the officer said. 

Another health official from Basavanagudi limits said: "As the ambulance staff do not transport the dead, they informed the hearse van, which was set to arrive in 30 minutes. But due to the sudden rain and heavy traffic ahead of the curfew hours, they were stranded for almost three hours later." The officials also said the deceased had been suffering from cardiac ailments for almost 10 years. 

Regretting the incident, BBMP officials said they were helpless as was an acute shortage of hearse vans. "We were told that there were 20 deaths today and there are only eight hearse vans available. They had to shift this patient after attending to another mortality and were stuck in traffic. By then, due to the fear of infection, nobody attended to the deceased," the officer explained. 

BBMP commissioner B H Anil Kumar said that such incidents should not recur and ordered an investigation and sought a report. "We will ensure that such incidents do not recur," Kumar said.  

Following outrage on social media, a hearse van was summoned and the body was shifted to the Victoria Hospital mortuary as per the protocol. Police have opened a case of unnatural death.

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