Saudi Wahhabi Authorities Arrested a Shia Citizen For Performing Communal Prayers

06 January, 2011 09:22

Saudi Wahhabi Authorities Arrested a Shia Citizen For Performing Communal Prayers

The General Investigation “al-Mabahith al-Amma” arrested the Shi’a citizen (Jasim Mohammad al-Ibrahim , from al-Khobar city in al-Ahsa) and informed him that he would serve two weeks prison term . The al-Ibrahim’s arrest was according to an order of of ( Badr bin Jalawi Al Saud ) the governor of al-Ahsa Â .Al-Ibrahim was accused of hiring a hall to perform the communal prayers and called the prominent Shi’a Â cleric “Sayyid Muhammad Baqir al-Nasir” to lead the Shi’a prayers in that hall . This action of al-Ibrahim was considered a violation to a ban on Shiites in al-Ahsa to perform the communal prayers publicly or privately.

The Shi’a prayers in that hall were led by the prominent Shi’a cleric “Sayyid Muhammad Baqir al-Nasir”

Sayyid Baqir al-Nasir was threatened previously by the authorities of arrest in case of violating a pledge was forced to sign it not to hold any communal prayers in future .

It is worth to mention that in July 2010, “Sayyid al-Nasir” refused to stop his communal prayers in the only Shia mosque in al-Khobar city , and threatened the authorities to perform the communal prayers in the street.

The Saudi Government restricts Shiites to practice their religious rites , it harassed them to build new mosques or Husseinats (religious community halls), where they conduct funeral ceremonies , perform communal prayers and other religious services. Â It also refuses to grant permission to build new ones.