On January 2, 2016, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia carried out a mass execution of 47 imprisoned civilians convicted of terrorism in 12 provinces in the country.[1] Forty-three were beheaded and four were executed by firing squads. Among the 47 people killed was Shia Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr.[2] The execution was the largest carried out in the kingdom since 1980.[3] Nimr al-Nimr was sentenced to death by the Specialized Criminal Court on 15 October 2014 for "seeking 'foreign meddling' in Saudi Arabia, 'disobeying' its rulers and taking up arms against the security forces".[4] His execution was condemned by religious and political figures and human rights groups. The Saudi government said the body would not be handed over to the family.[5] Al-Nimr was very critical of the Saudi Arabian government, and called for free elections in Saudi Arabia.[6]

Response

See also: 2016 attack on the Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran

The mass execution sparked mass protests across the Middle East, during which protesters in Tehran and Mashhad burned part of the Saudi diplomatic missions, and the Saudi embassy in the Iraqi capital Baghdad was attacked by protesters and a rocket. The embassies were empty during the attacks. In response, the Saudi state severed ties with Iran.[7] The Iranian government condemned the embassy attack in Iran.[8][9]

List of executed people

Out of the total forty-seven people executed, forty-five were Saudis, one was Egyptian, and one was Chadian.[10]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Saudi Arabia Carries Out Largest Mass Execution Since 1980 – Eurasia Review". Eurasiareview.com. 2016-01-02. Retrieved 2016-01-06.
  2. ^ Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr: Saudi Arabia executes top Shia cleric, BBC News (January 2, 2016).
  3. ^ "Mass Execution Is Part of Saudi Arabia's Long History of Horrors". Huffingtonpost.com. 6 January 2016. Retrieved 2016-01-06.
  4. ^ "Saudi Shia cleric Nimr al-Nimr 'sentenced to death'". BBC News. 15 October 2014. Archived from the original on 15 October 2014. Retrieved 2014-10-15.
  5. ^ "Saudi govt. secretly buries Sheikh Nimr's body". Mehr News Agency. 3 January 2016.
  6. ^ "Saudi execution of Shia cleric sparks outrage in Middle East". The Guardian. 2 January 2016.
  7. ^ "Mass Execution Is Part of Saudi Arabia's Long History of Horrors". Huffingtonpost.com. 6 January 2016. Retrieved 2016-01-06.
  8. ^ Agencies (January 21, 2016). "OIC chief seeks healing of Saudi-Iran rift". Pakistan Today. Retrieved January 21, 2016.
  9. ^ "Khamenei realizes after weeks: Attack on Saudi mission was too damaging". Arab News. January 21, 2016. Retrieved January 21, 2016.
  10. ^ a b Staff writer of Al Arabiya News (2 January 2016). "Saudi Arabia executes 47 terrorism convicts". Al Arabiya. Archived from the original on 2019-07-20. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
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