Saudi forces kill Shia civilian in Awamiyah

Saudi forces have killed a Shia citizen after raiding his home in the country’s Eastern Province.

Abdulrahim Ali al-Faraj was shot to death on Wednesday, after Saudi forces stormed his home, which he shared with his brother in the mostly Shia-populated town of Awamiyah, said a statement released by Saudi Arabia’s Interior Ministry.

The statement noted that the brother, Majid, escaped the raid.

According to Saudi media reports, both brothers were wanted over accusations of attacking security forces.

People have been holding demonstrations in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province since February 2011, with protesters demanding reforms, freedom of expression, the release of political prisoners, and an end to widespread discrimination against the people of the oil-rich region.

Several people have been martyred and many others injured or arrested during the rallies. International rights bodies, including Amnesty International, have slammed Saudi Arabia for its grim human rights record and its repressive policies toward political dissent.

Earlier this year, the Saudi regime executed dozens of people, including prominent Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr Baqir al-Nimr, whose death caused international outrage and a serious escalation of tensions in the region.

MG