Odvv Statment on the Stop Sheik Namar Imminent Execution

 Saudi is continuing the systematic violation of human rights with impunity right before the eyes of the international community. And so far, there has been no attempts to eliminate the on-going discrimination against religious minorities.
Now, Saudi Arabia is going to execute an innocent man who appears to have been convicted solely for exercising his rights to freedom of expression and freedom of religion and belief. Sheikh al-Nimr, a vocal critic of the Saudi Arabian authorities’ harassment of Shi’a Muslims, is facing death penalty. While in detention, has been denied access to medical care, to justice and to his family.
More than 1,040 people got arrested at Shia protests between February 2011 and August 2014. Some of whom are still believed to be in detention.
We call on international bodies and the people of the world to come out in full force against the state-sponsored murder of Ayatullah Al Namar which reflects Saudi’s failure to protect the rights of religious minorities. State killings of innocent people in Saudi Arabia which shows the country’s disregard for human rights must be halted and Al Namar sentence must be converted.
We also call on the International community to hold Saudi Arabia accountable for continuous and systematic violation of religious minority rights.
Organization for Defending Victims of Violence (ODVV)