US Shia HR org urges Saudi govt not to violate Shia rights

By: Mohamed Ali

WASHINGTON: Shia Organization for Protection of Human Rights in the United States has urged Saudi government not to sideline Shias in the kingdom who make up 25 percent of Saudi population.

In a letter to Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faysal on 26 November, director of the organization Adel Yasseri said that his organization found that Saudi embassy in America is at a distance from non-governmental organizations as they sent it two letters regarding conditions of Shias in Saudi Arabia demanding betterment therein and lifting of discriminatory practices against them, but it did not reply.

“We came to know your warning in Sherm Ash-Sheikh conference against sidelining Sunnis in Iraq who are minority there. We are of the opinion that sidelining minority or majority in Iraq or Arab World or Islamic or non-Islamic world is flat violation of human rights.”

The letter further said: “At the same time we see Shia sidelining and snatching of their rights in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia…!”

“Has the time come to lift sidelining and oppression against them and the followers of other Islamic sects, similarly you don’t want sidelining non-shias in Iraq...!?”

In earlier open letter to the Saudi ambassador to Washington Prince Bandar bin Abdulaziz, Shia Organization for Protection of Human Rights wrote that it has scores of documents which confirm continued oppression against Shias since establishment of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

It demanded from the government to give freedom of practice of religion to Shias without any pressure, clean syllabus from anti-Shia beliefs and lift discrimination against them in every field saying that demands of Shia in Saudi Arabia are in accordance with International Declaration for Human Rights.

We would like to remind your government that it is member of OIC and the targets and objectives of OIC are to act in line with principles of human rights, and that holy Prophet (pbuh&hp) had recognized rights of people of Najran in their religious freedom from Christians.

It further expressed hope that the government would stop such discriminatory practices against Shias and that it would not give the organization an opportunity to direct to international and US organizations for rights of Shias.

END