The Sectarian Regime Arrested Sheikh Al-Mezraq

The Committee   for  the  Defense  of  Human  Rights  in the  Arabian Peninsula

( CDHRAP )

DATE  : 4 / 04 / 2007  

NO  : 131 / H / 2007

The Saudi Regime spares no effort to develop its human rights poor record  . It obvious that Saudi Regime disavowed the obligations of international human rights standards and international treaties which refused to ratify some of them or reserved on others . Ones were acceded , not implemented in law and practice and not made the rights in these treaties a reality.

It appears that the Saudi Regime pretending of going on reform way , but unfortunately , that way was based on violating Shi'a rights in Arabian Peninsula and the policy of sectarian persecution . That means the Saudi Regime had no solve of its difficulties accept combat Muslem Shi'a in the country .

On 2 / 4 / 2007 , the officers of the General Directorate of Investigation (al-Mabahith al-'Amma), arrested Sheikh abdul Aziz al-Mezraq , 40 years , from al-Fedhool village in al-Ahsa , from his house and sentenced him one month imprisonment on accusation of opening Hussainiya (gathering place) without taking a permission from the Ministry of Islamic Affairs .

It is worth mentioning that the Ministry of Islamic Affairs hardened of permitting Shi'a to construct mosques or Hussainiyas , which obliged more Shi'a continued to build mosques in private homes, which are sometimes converted to mosques and prayer halls.

Sheikh abdul Aziz al-Mezraq is a prominent and educative religious character in Ahsa city .

It was not the first time which the Saudi Regime arrest religious character on excuse of disobedience the injustice governmental laws .

During this year the Saudi authorities began to harass Shia' in Qatif , Al-Ahsa and Dammam due to conducting religious gatherings within hussainiyas during Ashura and arresting who organizing them , coercing them to sign statements agreeing to desist those religious activities .

These actions are violation of human rights and the Saudi Government pledged through last years to protect human rights in law and practice when the Western countries began to pressure it to develop its human record and to remove from the educational curricula what it deemed to be disparaging references to other religious traditions and Muslem sects who do not adhere to the state-sanctioned version of Sunni Islam .

CDHRAP call the international community , international human rights and non-governmental organizations to put pressure on the Saudi regime and to put an end for their silence towards human rights violations against Shi'a committed by the Saudi regime , calling it to bear an obligation to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to religion .