Yemeni Clerics Calls on Muslim Nations to Renounce Saudi Regime


TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Yemen's Scholars Association condemned the Saudi regime for oppressing and killing Shiite Muslims in al-Awamiyah in the kingdom’s Eastern Province, calling on Muslims around the world to “renounce” the regime.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the Scholars Association decried the “savage and criminal acts” taken by the Al Saud regime and said the crimes are in violation of all human and religious values.

The Riyadh regime is using the properties and capabilities of Muslims against other Muslims in a bid to serve the Zionist regime of Israel and implement the plots hatched by the US government to undermine the Muslim world, the statement read.

The Yemeni clerics further called on all Muslims around the globe to meet their duty and denounce the heinous crimes committed by the regime.   

The statement came as Riyadh on Sunday continued its heavy-handed crackdown on dissidents in al-Awamiyah for the fifth consecutive day.

Media reports said the regime’s security forces have killed at least four citizens and injured many others in the city so far.

The kingdom’s forces laid a siege to the residents of al-Awamiyah early on Wednesday.

Al-Awamiyah, a town of 30,000 in the Shiite-majority Qatif district, was the home of Nimr al-Nimr, a Shiite cleric put to death in January last year over trumped-up charges.

The Shiite-populated Eastern Province has been the scene of peaceful demonstrations since February 2011. Protesters have been demanding reforms, freedom of expression, the release of political prisoners, and an end to economic and religious discrimination against the oil-rich region.

The protests have been met with a heavy-handed crackdown by the regime. Security forces have ramped up security measures across the province.