Established in 2011, Shia Rights Watch (SRW) is the world’s irst independent organizaion dedicated to deine and protect the rights of Shia Muslims around the world. SRW is a non- governmental, not-for-proit research enity and advocacy group headquartered in Washington D.C., U.S.A. Shia Rights Watch aims to draw the internaional atenion where Shia rights are violated; the aim is to give a voice to the oppressed and hold oppressors accountable for their crimes. S.R.W. achieves its objecives through strategic invesigaions supported by targeted advocacy in order to bring about informed acion. Vision Freedom of religion for all Shia Rights Watch envisions the world with peace for all humans, regardless of their religion, gender, race and origin. There should be regulaions in every country to support every religion. We believe Shia Muslim as religion should be recognized in every country and any discriminaion should be brought to light. God has given us all the freedom of religion and the rights to live in peace. Mission No Shia above the law and no Shia Below the law Shia Rights Watch is dedicated to protect the rights of Shia Muslims worldwide. We invesigate violaions against Shia communiies in order to raise awareness against injusice. We promote the change through research and publicaions. Our reports and aricles are submited to the governments and internaional organizaions, and we coninually monitor media outlets to ensure coverage of Shia rights violaions. Shia Rights Watch stands for vicims of prejudice, and supports acivism in order to prevent discriminaion, support poliical freedom, and protect people from inhumane conduct. We enlist the local public and internaional communiies to support the cause of human rights for all. The Purpose of SRW Shia Muslims face constant oppression throughout the world solely based on their faith. In some countries, Shia Muslims have been the target of repeated persecuion for centuries as evidenced in the well-documented expansion of extremism of the Wahhabi movement. We believe the underrepresented Shia Muslim populaion need a human rights organizaion that highlights the violaions against them, while giving their call for help a louder voice. Staf Organizaion The organizaion began with the collaboraive eforts of volunteers with a common interest in advocaing internaional human rights. The momentum created by the increasing number of volunteer and acivism allowed for a formal development of the foundaion of Shia Rights Watch. Currently the organizaion has more than 100 acive members working in various locaions worldwide. The responsibiliies of members range from gathering news and informaion to publishing reports and aricles in order to advocate change. We are proud of the religiously and ethnically diverse group of acivists who are working together towards a common goal. Methodology of SRW We believe that informaion is the most valuable resource in the invesigaive process. From the organizaion’s incepion, we have focused on gathering informaion through various media: interviewing witnesses, family members of the vicims and vicims themselves; on-site collecion of resources; analyzing reports from various naional and internaional organizaions; meeing with non-governmental and religious organizaions, leaders, and journalists; and creaing informaion networks in a wide range of social sectors. Based on the informaion collected from the above sources, diferent types of human rights violaion have been ideniied. These violaions include but are certainly not limited to: • Violaion of right of living; • Arbitrary arrest, unfair trial, and illegal detenion; • Psychical & psychological abuse: torture, rape, and sexual assault; • Illegal coniscaion of private property; • Demoliion of Religions centres; • Employment discriminaion; • Educaion discriminaion; Reports, Publicaions, and Distribuion Whether it is terrorist bombings of sacred shrines, torture and unjust detenion of people, discriminaive legislaion or inimaion of school children for their sectarian beliefs, Shia have been vicimized in most the world. In countries where the press is ightly controlled, most of these cases go unnoiced. Shia Rights Watch tells the stories of injusices and atrociies in order to give a voice to the marginalized Shia vicims. Journalists invesigaing topics regarding the Middle East will beneit from SRW’s focus on the Shia communiies since they are crucially important sectors in Middle Eastern society. For instance, In order to fully examine the ongoing atrociies commited against protesters of the Arab spring, it is necessary to know about the embedded Shia struggle. In areas where Shia have been formerly discriminated against more subtly, the Arab Spring opened a door for more blunt persecuion. Cases reported in other parts of the world, such as in South Asia, describe violence and inimidaion which relect luctuaing trends in sectarian hosiliies, fueled by various poliical issues, including terrorism. SRW’s aim is to be able to report the crimes afecing Shia in every part of the globe. SRW has invesigators on the forefront who communicate directly with the vicims and monitor mulilingual news media outlets. SRW networks with naional commitees, internaional human rights organizaions, as well as religious scholars of Shia communiies. SRW’s members comprise of people with diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds united to defend the of human rights. This internaional network provides invaluable informaion to commentators and journalists of the media who are seeking to explore the impact of events on the Shia communiies worldwide. SPOTLIGHT Special Edition www. S h i aR i g h t s W at c h .o r g shiarights shiarightswatch Shia Rights Watch envisions the world with peace for all humans, regardless of their religion, gender, race and origin. There should be regulations in every country to support every religion. We believe Shia Muslim as religion should be recognized in every country and any discrimination should be brought to light. God has given us all the freedom of religion and the rights to live in peace. Canada, Windsor ON Hussein AlRumaithi Tel: +1 (519) 567-3732 Hussein110@shiarightswatch.org Shia Rights Watch 1050 17th St NW Suite 800 Washington, DC 20036 Tel: +1 (202) 350 4302 Or 202-643 SHIA srwdc@ShiaRightsWatch.org Florida, Jacksonville Ammar Husein Tel: +1 (904) 651-2568 Ammarhusein@ShiaRightsWatch.org Copyright © 2013 Shia Rights Watch All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America Cover design by Amir Graphix.com Introduction This report is a compilaion of research conducted to highlight the coninued, systemaic violence and human rights violaions conducted against Shia communiies in the eight countries where most Shia Muslim rights violaions took place in 2012. By publishing this report, Shia Rights Watch hopes that readers, journalists, and poliicians learn about these human rights violaions and work toward acion-oriented soluions that will promote accountability on the part of the governments of Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Syria, Egypt and Iraq. Shia Rights Watch’s concern regarding the health and rights of the Shia populaion is increasing as human rights violaions are escalaing in Middle East. As the violaions sclated in 2011, the organizaion stood up for the oppressed Shia Muslims and aimed to give a voice to the voiceless. The organizaion began by conducing ield research, by interviewing vicims and witnesses of the violaions, and by reading about the Shia rights violaions in various media. The research was published in the form of annual reports and these reports are accessible through the organizaion’s website. So far ive reports have been published by the SRW. The organizaion categorized the countries with violaions into two categories; similar to the U.S Department of State classiicaions. The irst category(I) includes countries in which Shia rights are being severely violated, and the second category consists of countries that SRW is concerned about. This report will address each of the eight category (I) countries, providing general background informaion, a summary of recent human rights abuses and an analysis of various types of violaions that are being commited in each country. The list of countries and their classiicaion can be found on the next page. SPOTLIGHT, SPECIAL EDITION . 7 Category I: Countries with many reported Shia Muslim rights violations belong to this category. hose countries are: BAHRIAN PAKISTAN EGYPT SAUDI ARABIA INDONESIA SYRIA IRAQ MALAYSIA Category II: Countries in which Shia Muslims have iled complaints, but that have not yet documented severe deprivation of life or arbitrary arrests belong in this category. hose countries are: AFGHANISTAN TURKEY AZARBAIJAN KUWAIT IRAN MOROCCO 8. www.shiarightswatch.org YEMEN The Kingdom of Bahrain Background The Kingdom of Bahrain is an archipelago consising of 33 islands of the east coast of the Persian Gulf. It was founded by the Sunni Al-Khalifa family in 1783, but became a protectorate of the Briish Empire unil they gained their independence in 1971. The Al-Khalifa family coninues to rule over Bahrain and oten struggles to govern the Shia-dominated populaion. Facing a decline in oil reserves, Bahrain has turned to other sector to sustain its economy. It is now an internaional banking center and focuses on petroleum processing and reining. Its economic power, in addiion to its central locaion in the Persian Gulf gives it signiicant internaional power for such a small naion of only 1,281,000 people. Of these 1,281,000 people, majority of which are Shia muslims, and the remaining are Sunni, Chrisian, or another religious minority. Bahrain is one of the ive countries in the world whose populaion is majority Shia, though it is the only country where a Shia majority is led exclusively by a Sunni minority. Summary of Violations Shia Muslims in Bahrain have grown increasingly dissaisied with the government’s failure to uphold its promise of democracy and freedom. In 2011, King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa appointed The Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI) to invesigate the government’s response to pro-democracy demonstraions. The Commission concluded that government authoriies did use excessive force against peaceful protesters and maltreated and tortured detainees. BICI proposed recommendaions to address the violaions and the King agreed to take acion, but in reality never implemented the recommendaions. In the midst of the Arab Spring in 2011, Bahraini protestors seeking government reform poured into the Pearl Roundabout. The protesters selected February 14th as a day of protest to coincide with the 10thanniversary of the Naional Acion Charter. Bahrain’s Crown Prince, Salman bin Hamad, promised to hold a dialogue with the protestors. Meanwhile, US Defence Secretary Robert Gates visited the country to discuss the situaion along with a visit to the UAE for an arms deal. Since the departure of the Briish army in 1971, Bahrain has historically used the Saudi Naional Guard as a second line of defence against the Shia majority. On March 14th 2012, troops from Saudi Arabia and the UAE entered Bahrain under the pretence of protecing essenial faciliies, which were primarily the oil and gas installaions, as well as inancial insituions. On March 15th, the government began a retaliatory crackdown. The following months were illed with arrests, tortures, and deaths. Most of the protesters are Shia who seek reform and democracy in the country. Violations • Secion 1. Respect for the Integrity of the Person, Including Freedom from: A) Arbitrary or Unlawful Deprivation of Life Many Bahraini Shia have lost their lives in their home country at the hand of their own government. Bahraini security forces have violated many ciizens’ right to life based on their religion and their peaceful opposiion to the government. Many peaceful protesters were shot and killed by riot police during the on-going protests, while many others, including infants and children, sufocated from the excessive use of tear gas. Many of those who have been arrested have later died in prison or while being hospitalized ater being tortured by the government. A signiicant number of Shia men, women, and children have died since the start of the Arab Spring in Bahrain. 10 . www.shiarightswatch.org B) Arbitrary Arrest or Detention Bahraini authoriies have arrested many protestors during and ater the peaceful demonstraions. Many of those detained were under the age of 18. There have been reports that the authoriies raided homes during the night without warrants and local human rights acivists and atorneys stated that the security forces would oten arrest or abduct Shia men and children arbitrarily. According to Bahrain Centre for Human Rights’ (BCHR) latest report, there are 4000 esimated cases of arrest since February of 2011; 40% of which were under the age of 18. These arrests were not limited to Shia men, as children and women were also targeted. The Bahraini government also commited mass arrests, such as when a girl’s school bus, with its 40 passengers, was taken directly to the police staion because some of the girls were chaning "down with Hamad" inside the bus on the way home from school. Another example is that Zainab Al-Khawaja and Nabeel Rajab, two of the most acive and inluenial human rights defenders, have been repeatedly arrested. C ) Torture and other Cruel, Inhumane Treatment or Punishment Many reports reveal that the acivists detained by the Bahraini regime undergo torture in the prisons. Local human rights acivists and atorneys alleged that many of the 23 Shia acivists arrested in August and September and charged pursuant to counterterrorism legislaion, including a prominent blogger, were beaten, subjected to electric shock, hung upside down, and beaten on their feet in a torture method called falaqa. During court sessions in October, November, and December, all detainees stated they were beaten by Naional Security Agency oicers, some claiming they were subjected to electric shocks, made to stand for long periods of ime, and made to sign confessions during or ater mistreatment or torture. Sources reveal some of the Kings close family members were directly involved in torturing the prisoners. Cleric and acivist Abdulla Al Mahroos told the higher court of appeal that, “Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa has tortured and beaten me in the building of the Naional Security apparatus during my arrest and I had seen him with my own eyes when he hit me on my face with his hand and also with a black hose”. D) Righs to a Fair Public Trial The trial of 25 Shia acivists charged pursuant to the counterterrorism law, two of which were based in the United Kingdom and tried in their absence, commenced on October 28, 2010. In some cases, journalists and human rights acivists were denied access to the court. The defendants' lawyers, together with local non-government organizaions asserted that security personnel subjected the acivist to mistreatment and torture while in pre-trial detenion, deprived them of adequate access to legal counsel, and prevented them from meeing with family members for several weeks. The Bahraini Government denied the right of fair public trial of these Shia acivists. SPOTLIGHT, SPECIAL EDITION . 11 E ) Arbitrary Interference with Privacy, Family, Home, or Correspondence The consituion of Bahrain prohibits arbitrary interference with privacy, family, home, or correspondence. According to the law, the government is required to obtain a court order before monitoring telephone calls, e-mail, and/or personal correspondence. However, many Shia Muslim ciizens believe in the existence of extensive police informer networks. The history of discriminaion against Shia community prevents ciizens from complaining and asking for their legal rights. F) Visitation Rights Ater the Arab Spring, the government suspended visitaion rights for some inmates. The government did not permit family members to visit dozens of detainees arrested on security- related charges for at least several weeks. • Secion2. Respect for Civil Liberies, including: A) Freedom to Peaceful Assembly and Association The protests in Bahrain began peacefully; there were no weapons involved, and no violence or vandalism was witnessed. Many protestors carried lowers as a symbol of their peaceful intent; however, Bahraini forces used violence to deter the protesters. In most incidents, Bahraini police used live ammuniion on peaceful protestors. Bahraini police also used tear-gas to break up marches. The uses of toxic teargas led to the death of many people. Police rouinely beat protesters, otenimes during the arrest or while transferring them to police staions. It is reported that more than 100 people were killed due to sufocaion of toxic teargas and the use of ammuniion. Many were hospitalized due to maltreatment. B ) Freedom of Religion Bahraini authoriies have repeatedly demolished and destroyed Shia Islamic centres and mosques. McClatchy newspapers reported that the Bahraini government demolished or seriously damaged forty-three Shia mosques or religious structures. Some of the mosques were historic structures. All religious structures had been properly registered with the government, according to the sources. 12 . www.shiarightswatch.org C ) Right to Citizenship Opposiion groups claimed the government regularly ignored naturalizaion requirements to manipulate demographics for voing and to maintain Sunni minority’s dominaion of police and defence forces over the Shia majority. According to these opposiion groups, the government was more lenient with naturalizaion requests from foreign residents in the security forces, while Shia and other applicants experienced delays in processing of their cases. • Secion 3. Discriminaion, Societal Abuses A) Sexual and psychological abuses Family members of detainees reported being sexually and mentally abused by authoriies who raided their homes to arrest their family members. They were also threatened to be raped or killed. • Secion 4. Worker Rights A) Right to Equal Employment BICI’s report states that Sunnis dominate poliical insituions. According to the US Department of State, government and societal discriminaion against the Shia populaion remains a problem. Sunnis receives preference for employment in sensiive government posiions and in the managerial ranks of the civil service. The defence and internal security forces are also predominantly Sunni, and few Shia members atained high-ranking posiions. Shia Muslims are not represented in civil service, police, and security forces. Conclusion The past year has been a tough year for Shia Muslims in Bahrain due to government suppression. Shia lost their lives, jobs, dignity and freedom in Bahrain since the government violated almost all of their basic human rights. Note : For detailed report refare to " Shia Target og Inhumane Treatment” on shiarightwatch.org SPOTLIGHT, SPECIAL EDITION . 13 The Arab Republic of Egypt Background Egypt is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge into Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transconinental country, and a major power in the Mediterranean Basin with strategic access to the Suez Canal. However, Egypt faces many challenges such as poliical instability and economic turmoil. Egypt is also one of the most populous countries in Africa and the Middle East, with a populaion of over 80 million. The majority of the populaion (90%) is Muslim, consising primarily of Sunni Muslims, although there is also a signiicant Copic Chrisian community with various other religious minoriies. Summary of Violations Egypt has been undergoing many poliical changes since the Arab Spring. The Arab Spring gave hope to many, especially minoriies, that the new changes would bring freedom and democracy to their communiies. However, in most cases, the transiion phase provided opportuniies for some to take advantage of the unrest and target minoriies violently. Shia Muslims are among the growing numbers of minoriies that became vicims of the unrest. Shia Muslims, under pressure under the Mubarak government, are sill facing discriminaion in the new Egypian government and poliical system. In many cases, Shia Muslims are being targeted as a group with poliical intenions that are ied to Iran. However, in reality, the vast majority of Shia Muslims, including Egypian Shia Muslims, have no personal or poliical ies to the Islamic Republic. They are simply pracicing their faith and honoring their belief with no poliical intenions. Violations he on-going violations have been categorized into the following sections: • Secion 1. Respect for the Integrity of the Person: A) Arbitrary or Unlawful Deprivation of Life Although according to law, “Everyone has the right to recogniion” Shia Muslims are a forgoten minority in Egypt to the point that there are no accurate oicial staisics about the number of Shia Muslims in Egypt. Egypian Shia Muslims have reported receiving threatening leters at their doors. Insecurity and fear is increasing among Shia Muslims in this country to the point they hide their faith so that their families are safe. • Secion2. Respect for Civil Liberies, including: A) Freedom of Religion The Egypian Consituion, under Aricle 46, provides freedom of belief and the pracice of religious rites; however, the Government restricts these rights in pracice. The state of human rights and freedom of religion in Egypt remains poor due to government intolerance towards minority religious groups. Religious freedom, in paricular, has worsened dramaically in recent months. Human rights acivists and organizaions are concerned about extremist groups who support policies aimed at destroying the rights of others. These groups are coninuing to advance in the Egypian government. Sources reveal some religious groups in Egypt, such as the Salais, became heavily involved in the Egypian poliical arena ater the 2011 uprising. These groups are extremely against the Shia Muslim populaion establishing a poliical party or even engaging in any poliical acivity, a basic human right for all ciizens. SPOTLIGHT, SPECIAL EDITION . 15 Egypian government has permited ani-Shia Muslim groups to openly degrade Shia Muslims and their faith and spread hatred messages against them. Shia Muslims in Egypt do not feel safe to express their faith or pracice it in public. Conclusion Egypian Shia Muslims are called inidels and the Salai clerics and government authoriies have repeatedly violated the Shia Muslim’s right to security, as well as their right to freedom of assembly and religion. Note : For detailed report refare to " Shia Muslims killing, Rise of Intolerance in Egypt” on shiarightwatch.org 16 . www.shiarightswatch.org The Republic of Indonesia Background The Republic of Indonesia is a country in Southeast Asia consising of an archipelago of 17,508 islands that lie between the Paciic Ocean and the Indian Ocean, but of these 17,508 islands only about 6,000 are populated. The largest islands are Java, Sumatra, and Borneo. Indonesia is bordered by Malaysia, Timor-Leste, and Papua New Guinea. Since gaining its independence in1949, Indonesia has faced poliical turmoil including rioing, marial law, and atempted coups. Fortunately, in 1999 Indonesia held its irst free and fair elecions and coninues to operate in this way. It sill faces many issues such as prevening terrorism, encouraging democracy ater four decades of authoritarian rule, stemming corrupt, and hold security forces accountable for human rights violaions. Indonesia has grown considerably now having a total populaion of 251 million, making it the world’s 4th most populous country and 3rd most populous democracy. It is also the world’s largest archipelagic naion, as well as the largest Muslim-majority state. According to the Pew Research Center, the religious makeup of the islands is as follows: 88.1% Muslim, about 7% Protestants, 3% Catholics, and 3% Hindu. The majority of Muslims in Indonesia are Sunni. Shia Muslims are the largest minoriies in the country. SPOTLIGHT, SPECIAL EDITION . 17 Summary of Violations Shia Muslims experienced a frightening year ater their homes were burned down and the residents were displaced as a result of ani-Shia terrorist groups. The government denied the right of Shia residents by relocaing them and even forcing many to change their faith in order to be able to return to their residences. Last year alone many Shia lost their homes in a violent atack to their community. Ani-Shia extremists atacked and burned down homes of the Shia residents. Some were killed and many injured as a result. The Indonesian government has coninuously failed to protect Shia Muslims and to hold the perpetrators responsible for their acions. Violations • Secion 1. Respect for the Integrity of the Person, Including Freedom from: A) Arbitrary or Unlawful Deprivation of Life On August 26th, 2012, an atack on Shia in Sampang in East Java let two men dead and dozens of houses destroyed. 2,000 police were sent to guard the area ater 500 villagers carrying machetes, believed to be Sunni extremists, atacked the town and caused massive damage. At around 11 am, the group atacked villagers returning from Ramadan holiday, throwing stones and gas bombs, and stabbing young Shia Muslims with their weapons. Two people, a ity-year- old man named Hamama and another man named Tohir, were killed in this atack, and many others sustained injuries. As many as 40 Shia homes were destroyed. Although President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono declared that jusice would be brought to the culprits, no acions were taken. Moreover, the only suspect arrested for these atacks has been set free. The government simply avoided the violence and relocated Shia to a sport facility. More recently, Shia refugees, who are currently taking shelter at a sports center ater the destrucion of their homes, were forced to sign statements saying that they were willing to convert to the Sunni school of thought if they are wish to return to their homes. On 18 November, the local authoriies cut of water supply to the complex and on 22 November they halted food supplies. The Shia refugees are forced to pay for their basic needs using their limited founds. Many children and women are in need of nutriion and healthy water that the government cut of. • Secion2. Respect for Civil Liberies, including: A) Freedom of Religion The Indonesian Atorney General's oice hosts an Islamic board called Bakor Pakem, which is dedicated to invesigaing alleged religious ofenses. According to the 2004 Public Prosecuion Service Law, Bakor Pakem has the responsibility to provide “oversight in respect of religious beliefs that could endanger society and the state.” Bakor Pakem normally sits under the intelligence 18 . www.shiarightswatch.org division of the public prosecuion oice, and works closely with the Ministry of Religious Afairs, the police, the military, local governments, and religious establishments. Bakor Pakem has been extremely inluenial in pressing the government to ban religious groups. It would be logical to say that Bakor Pakem is where discriminaion and violaions to freedom of religion take place. The government’s aitudes toward Shia Muslims have inluenced the public to the point that thousands of people gathered in Bangil, East Java to demand that Shia Muslim organizaions be banned in Indonesia. Habib Umas Assegaf, the leader of these protesters, stated that if Shia Muslim organizaions were not banned, he would bring more people out to the streets. Conclusion The Indonesian government has failed to support Shia Muslim populaion in this country. The government also took no serious acion to bring jusice to society. Ater the destrucion of Shia Muslims’ homes, no invesigaions were made and the government pressured the Shia Muslim populaion to convert to another faith instead of supporing and protecing them against violence and extremism. Note : For detailed report refare to " Shia Ethnic Cleansing in Indonesia“ on shiarightwatch.org SPOTLIGHT, SPECIAL EDITION . 19 The Republic of Iraq Background The Republic of Iraq, with about 33 million people, is a country in Western Asia that borders Syria to the northwest, Turkey to the north, Iran to the east, Jordan to the west, Saudi Arabia to the south and southwest, and Kuwait to the south. Following the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003, the Republic of Iraq approved a new consituion in 2005. Since then, the government has struggled to maintain stability and peace, especially since U.S.-led forces let Iraq in 2009. A major issue in Iraq has been sectarian violence. Saddam Hussein’s Ba’ath Party severely repressed the Shia populaion, which makes up about 60-65% of the populaion, out of fears of their inluence ater the Iranian Revoluion of 1979. The persecuion of Shia Muslims throughout his regime created deep tensions in Iraqi society. Since overthrowing Saddam’s government, Shia Muslims primarily control the new administraion, causing resentment among the Sunni community. Summary of Violations The tensions between Shia and Sunni Muslims in Iraq have resulted in severe sectarian violence. Shia communiies and religious centers are oten targeted by roadside bombs or suicide atacks, resuling in the deaths of thousands of Shia Muslims. The government has failed to efecively protect the Shia populaion and terrorist atacks are sill common. Iraq is especially important to the Shia community because of its many Shia Muslim historical sites. Shrines of six Shia Imams are in Iraq, as well as the holy ciies of Najaf and Karbala, Samarra and Kadhimivan, all of which are pilgrimage sits for millions of Shia Muslims. These sites are oten targeted by ani-Shia terrorist groups. The combinaion of sectarian tensions and ani-Shia terrorist groups targeing Iraq have made this country one of the deadliest for Shia Muslims, and the human rights violaions are quite severe. Violations he on-going violations have been categorized into the following sections: • Secion 1. Respect for the Integrity of the Person, Including Freedom from: A) Arbitrary or Unlawful Deprivation of Life Samarra and Kadhimiyan are among ciies that have always been targets for ani- Shia extremists, and many have lost their lives going to these ciies. Not long ago, ani-Shia Muslim extremists destroyed the shrine of the Shia imams in Samarra in order to stop pilgrims from visiing this city. This atack was the worst of its kind ater the demoliion of shrines of four Shia Muslim imams in Saudi Arabia in May by King Ibn Saud. Many Shia Muslims where atacked while gathering in Shia mosques or their Islamic centers for religious rituals. Last year alone, hundreds of Shia Muslims were killed in diferent types of atacks to in their communiies. Muharam and Safar are two months in Islamic calendar when more than 20 Million pilgrims visit Iraq and many lost their lives coming to and leaving the country. Extremists have been acively targeing Shia Muslims and violated their rights of security and life. Conclusion Shia Muslim rights violaions are increasing in Iraq and the newly formed governments must assure security of all ciizens and prevent any human rights violaions. Increasing sectarian violence must be stopped and all groups should be trained to have tolerance and respect toward each other. SPOTLIGHT, SPECIAL EDITION . 21 The Islamic Republic of Pakistan Background The Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign country in Southeast Asia. Pakistan is bordered by the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman to the south, India to the east, Afghanistan to the west and north, Iran to the southwest, and China to the far northeast. Its strategic locaion at the intersecion of Central, West, and South Asia makes Pakistan an important geopoliical and economic player in world afairs. The populaion of Pakistan is over 187 million, making it the world’s 6th most populous country. The Pakistani populaion is 97% Muslim, made up primarily of Sunni Muslims. However, 20% of the populaion is Shia, meaning that there are over 37,000,000 Shia Muslims living in Pakistan. The Shia community is mainly from the Twelver sect of Shia Islam and is concentrated in ciies such as Islamabad, Punjab, Sindh, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Summary of Violations Human rights condiions remain poor in Pakistan. Ani-Shia sectarian violence has increased dramaically to the point that Shia Muslims are not safe to have any movement as part of their daily lives. In fact, hundreds of Shia Muslims have lost their lives due to their faith last year alone. There are blasphemy and ani-Shia Muslim laws in Pakistan which speciically target religious minoriies and have created tension among religious groups. As such, there have been more and more atacks against Shia Muslims, especially in the administraive district of Gilgit- Balistan. The United States Commission on Internaional Religious Freedom includes Pakistan on its list of Countries of Paricular Concern. Violations The on-going violaions have been categorized into the following secions: • Secion 1. Respect for the Integrity of the Person, Including Freedom from: A) Arbitrary or Unlawful Deprivation of Life In 2012 alone, 34 Shia atacks occurred in Pakistan. Hundreds lost their live and many were injured. Human rights watch report as many as 400 cases of murder and other sources believe about 550 were killed. Militants regularly atack Shia religious centers and schools, as well as ambush vehicles carrying Shia Muslims. Hundreds of Shia Muslims lost their lives in suicide bombings and ambushes. The government did not take any steps to prevent or punish Shia Muslim killings last year. • Secion2. Respect for Civil Liberies, including: A) Freedom of Religion Shia-targeted killings have a long history in this country. In fact, the number of Shia Muslims killed is far great than all other faith-based deaths combined. However, the government has done litle to prevent or bring jusice to the cultprits of violent outbreaks. This is part of an ongoing trend in which discriminaion against Shia Muslims in Pakistan is escalaing quickly. According to a study conducted by the Pew Research Center, based in Washington, DC, 50% of Sunnis in Pakistan consider Shia Muslims to be non-Muslims. • Secion 3: Discriminaion A) Education Discriminaion against Shia Muslims has reached the educaional level as ani-Shi’ism spreads across the globe. The Karakoram Internaional University has expelled 16 Shia Muslims students for a period of three years and dismissed one Shia Muslim student for life. The students are accused of paricipaing in “illegal aciviies”, which in this case is organizing Youm-e-Hussain SPOTLIGHT, SPECIAL EDITION . 23 Shia Muslim gathering. The expulsion of the Shia Muslim Students led to a sit-in outside the Gilgit-Balistan assembly.The rival Wahhabi sect tried to create a disturbance all day long and turned the demonstraion into a violent confrontaion, which resulted in the death of two people. Conclusion In Pakistan, Shia Muslims are being discriminated against on a local and governmental level. Daily killings and atacks are not properly invesigated and addressed. Laws and procedures in the government and schools make life more diicult for non-Sunni ciizens. Unrestricted terrorist acivity is puing a signiicant porion of the Pakistani populaion in danger. Note : For detailed report refare to " Pakistan: Untold Stories” on shiarightwatch.org 24 . www.shiarightswatch.org The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Background Saudi Arabia is one of the most powerful monarchies in the world. This country was founded by Abdul-Aziz bin Saud and is being ruled by the Al Saud family. The largest of the Gulf naion, it is bordered by Yemen to the south, Oman to the southeast, the U.A.E., Qatar, and Bahrain to the east, and Kuwait, Iraq, Jordan, and Egypt to the north. The Saudi Arabian economy is dominated by its rich oil resources and its strategic posiion both on the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf make it a powerful player in internaional trade. However, all natural resources rest in the hands of the government, so most of the wealth is controlled by the government. The Saudi Monarchy is very authoritarian and strictly controls many aspects of society. The populaion of the country is approximately 28.5 million, including 5.8 million foreigners. Islamic pracices in Saudi Arabia generally are limited to those that relect the government’s interpretaion of Islam, which is the Wahhabi school of thought. The Shia Muslims are the largest minority group in Saudi Arabia, between 15 and 20 percent of the total populaion. Summary of Violations Shia Muslims in Saudi Arabia are currently subject to a plethora of poliical, cultural, educaional and economic discriminatory policies. They are severely restricted against poliical organizing, do not have a right to free expression, face employment discriminaion in both the public and private sectors, and are restricted from equal access to the Saudi police/military or educaion system. Members of the Shia minority are also the objects of oicially sancioned religious discriminaion. Human rights violaions in this country have led to ani-dictatorship protests. The government used all its forces to disperse the protests. In most occasions, these crackdowns resulted in the arrest, torture, and murder of innocent peaceful protestors. The kingdom is an absolute monarchy giving it absolute authority over its people, resuling in numerous violaions of human rights to the point of concern for many human rights organizaions. Because religious aciviies in Saudi Arabia are limited to those that relect the government’s Wahhabi interpretaion of Islam, life has become very diicult for those who do not believe in this school of thought. Shia Muslims are the largest minority group in Saudi Arabia, between 15 and 20 present of the total populaion. Shia and Ismailis Muslims are considered minoriies and are treated as second class ciizens that do not have any legal rights. Shia Muslims in Saudi Arabia are currently subject to a large range of poliical, cultural, educaional and economic discriminatory policies. They are sharply restricted in poliical organizaion, free expression, and equal access to the Saudi police/military or educaion system. They face employment discriminaion in both the public and private sectors. Violations • Secion 1. Respect for the Integrity of the Person, Including Freedom from: A) Arbitrary or Unlawful Deprivation of Life Clashes between security forces and peaceful protesters in the Easter Province of Saudi Arabia, home to many Shia Muslims, have led to the deaths of a number of innocent people. At least 10 Shia men were killed in a pro-democracy protest that was raided by the government forces in August 2012. Besides deaths due to the government’s use of violence, a mysterious death was reported by the Saudi Health Afairs: Shia women received infected blood in a hospital where she was hospitalized for her thalassemia. The testes revealed the blood was infected with the Malaria virus. The source of Malaria virus was never found. B) Arbitrary Arrest or Detention Alongside random protestors, famous Shia scholars and clerics have been arrested a number of imes because of their Shia faith pracice in their Shia Muslim community. Sheikh Tawiq Jaber Ibrahim al-Amer and Nimr a-l Nimr are among two wellknown igures that coninuously face arbitrary arrest. 26 . www.shiarightswatch.org C) Torture and other Cruel, Inhumane Treatment or Punishment Many human rights organizaions, such as Human Rights Watch, have reported maltreatment in prisons of Saudi Arabia. Prisoners are exposed to a variety of torture and punishment methods. In some case the prisoners did not have access to proper medical equipment or fair trials. • Secion2. Respect for Civil Liberies, including: A)Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and Association: Since Saudi Arabia is a monarchy, the king has all the power to make decisions. Un-welcomed ciizens such as Shia Muslims have no right to paricipate in any of the government’s decisions. They cannot paricipate in any assembly or express their needs. Shia, who have always been suppressed by the government, are not allowed to express their dissaisfacions. If they do, they face detenions and unemployment. During the past year many dissaisied ciizens protested for reform, many of them were detained or killed. Shaikh Nimr al-Nimr is a well-known Shia cleric who has been repeatedly arrested. Many children and minors were also subject to arrest during the past year. In some cases, children were kidnapped and their families were threatened so that they would not paricipate in peaceful protests. B) Freedom of Religion Religious freedom is virtually non-existent in Saudi Arabia. The Government does not provide legal recogniion or protecion for freedom of religion. In Saudi Arabia, no religion is completely free to pracice their faith except for pro-government Wahhabi. Shia Muslims that pracice their faith in their private properies and homes are subject to arrest. In some cases Shia clerics were forced to sign writen pledges, which stated “not to sir up sectarianism or rallies,” aimed towards the ban on conducing congregaion prayers at Shia chapels and homes. It is reported that four Shia ciizens were sentenced to a full month in prison, under the pretext of opening their own homes as Islamic centres for their community. Religious restricion under Saudi government goes as far as prohibiing the entrance of non- Wahhabi symbols and arifacts into Saudi Arabia. Shia Muslims are among those who cannot bring their symbols into the country. Shia Muslim prayer books, prayer stones, and any other objects that represent Shia Muslim belief are prohibited. Demolishing and destroying Shia Islamic centres, cemeteries and mosques are also among the acions that Saudi government has taken to suppress Shia faith. • Secion 3: Discriminaions A)Threat and Discriminations Toward Shia Muslim Wahhabi scholars have repeatedly issued fatwa (Islamic law issued by scholars) against Shia. Saudi scholars who are paid and supported by the oicial Government Issue fatwa staing it is accepted to kill Shia Muslims based on their faith and beliefs. SPOTLIGHT, SPECIAL EDITION . 27 B)Education and Employment Educaion is paricularly limited to Wahhabi curriculums. There is no tolerance towards any other belief system besides the Wahhabi. Shia Muslims are not allowed to have private schools where they would be able to teach the Shia faith to their children. Shia children are suppressed in schools and are told to refrain from informing others about their faith. Shia students usually are not able to reach higher educaion. Shia Muslims are also underrepresented in the Saudi Arabian educaion system. Employment is also very restricted for Shia Muslims. No Shia Muslim can hold high oicial government jobs such as those in the military nor can they work in the oil and petrochemical industries. Job opportuniies and educaion limitaions have resulted in poverty and low quality of life for many Shia Muslims in this country. Conclusion Saudi Arabia, one of the wealthiest countries of the world, is also one of the countries with the most human right violaions. Violaions to the right to life, right to expression, right to freedom of religion, right to assembly and many other violaions against Shia Muslims have turned this country to one of the world’s most restricive socieies. Note : For detailed report refare to " Saudi Shia Muslim Victims of Sectarian Isolationism” on shiarightwatch.org 28 . www.shiarightswatch.org The Syrian Arab Republic Background The Syrian Arab Republic is a country in Western Asia with a populaion of about 21 million people, bordered by Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest. This country is home to diverse ethnic and religious groups, including Kurds, Armenians, Assyrians, Turks, Chrisians, Druze, Alawite, Shias and Sunnis Muslims. The populaion of Syria, as of July 2013, is about 22,457,000. Sunni Muslims account for about 74% of the populaion, while Shias make up around 13-15%. However, there are also nearly 2 million Iraqi Shia refugees and many other Afghan Shia refugees currently living in Syria, making the actual populaion of Shia Muslims in Syria much higher. Shia Muslims are concentrated in various neighborhoods of the capital as well as a number of towns and villages in the provinces of Hims and Hama, Nubbal, al-Zahra, Zarzor and Aleppo. Summary of Violations Since March 2011, Syria has been involved in civil war in the wake of uprisings against Assad, the current Syrian President. Although the civil war began as a poliical movement in opposiion to al-Assad’s government, this conlict has increasingly been transformed into a sectarian issue. Extremist groups falsely idenify the Shia faith with al-Assad’s regime, Hezbollah, and the Iranian government, efecively grouping all Shia Muslims with these poliical groups. Consequently, there have been many cases of sectarian killings, sexual abuse, disappearances, torture, and destrucion of historical and religious sites. The Shia community has been the primary target of such atrociies. In fact, according to Syrian Human Rights, a NGO based in London, as many as 95,000 Alawi have been killed so far. The human rights violaions taking place in Syria remain among the worst in the world. Ani-Shia Muslim extremists and Wahhabi- backed groups have taken advantage of the conlict in Syria to kidnap and kill many Shia Muslims. Violations he on-going violations have been categorized into the following sections: • Secion 1. Respect for the Integrity of the Person, Including Freedom from: A) Arbitrary or Unlawful Deprivation of Life Since the beginning of the uprising in Syria, Shia Muslims have been coninuously targeted by Ani-Shia extremist groups. Shia homes are oten marked and the households are then savagely tortured and slaughtered at night. Ciies with large Shia populaions, such as Bible, Al-Zahra, Foua, Kafarya, Sayeda Zaynab, Homs and Zarzour are at risk, and ciizens are forced to hide themselves or lee. Hosile rhetoric and ani-Shia seniments have resulted in the deaths of many Shia Muslims in Syria. For example, ater members of the Free Syrian Army and other armed groups publicized their ani-Shia posiions, dozens of Shia were killed, including 23 Iraqis as well as several prominent religious scholars like the Syrian born Afghan Sayed Naser Alavi. Moreover, an atack near the Shrine of Sayedah Zainab on October 31, 2012 resulted in the deaths of more than seven Shia Muslims, including women and children. Unfortunately, ani-Shia terrorists have coninued to threaten Shia Muslims, and the death toll coninues to rise. B) Sexual Abuse In October 2012 daughter of a well-known Shia family was kidnaped in the town of Maliha, around Damascus. An ani-Shia terrorist raped her, cut all her hair of and let her on the side of the street naked. 30 . www.shiarightswatch.org C) Disappearances There are many cases in which Shia Muslims have been kidnapped throughout Syria. In Az- Zahra, around 120 Shia were kidnapped by extremist groups who then ofered to trade the hostages for ammuniion. In another case, 48 Shia pilgrims were kidnapped on August 4 th, 2012. There have also been reports of ani-Shia groups posing as human rights acivists to obtain informaion about the Shia populaions. Shortly ater interviewing members of the Shia community, they would disappear. This has made it extremely diicult for legiimate organizaions to conduct in-ield interviews. D) Right to Security Shia Muslims in villages such as Nebbol and Az-Zahra are abandoned without food and water for the last four months and the siege is sill coninuing. Anyone who tries to slip out of the villages is risking their life and could be gunned down by Wahabbi rebel snipers. • Secion2. Respect for Civil Liberies, including: A) Freedom of Religion Several internaionally important Shia Muslim shrines serve as anchors for the Shia populaion in Syria and atract visitors from abroad. Most Iraqi Shia Muslims in Syria reside in the Sayyida Zaynab region to the south of the Damascus, an area that has grown up around one of the main shrines in the Shia faith. The shrine of Sayyida Ruqayya is the second most frequently visited Shia Muslim shrine in Syria. Due to its central locaion inside the capital, it draws large crowds for the daily public prayers and the weekly Friday prayer. The third Shia Muslim Shrine in located in Daraya and belongs to Sayyida Sukayna the daughter of irst Shia Imam. Aleppo also holds a Shia shrine. The main Shia center in Aleppo is the al-Nuqta Mosque near Jabal al-Hawshan and two Shia villages, Nubbal and al-Zahra. All Shrines have been threatened to be demolished by ani-Shia Muslim groups and extremists repeatedly atacked the shrines with a number of explosions that take place close to the Shia Muslim holy places. In 2012, suicide bombers blew up explosive laden cars near the shrine, killing innocent people and damaging the shrine itself. Threats of genocide also have come from outside Syria by people who fund the Free Syrian Army. For example, a former member of the Kuwaii Parliament, Osama Al Munawer (a Salai extremist) vowed to destroy the shrine of Seyedah Zainab in a statement he made on his twiter account on July 18, 2012. In December 2012, a Shia Muslim Mosque was burned down in Zarzor village of Syria. The atackers videotaped the destrucion and proudly posted it on the YouTube. In January 2013, the shrine of Sayyida Sukayna in Darayya was burned down according to local witnesses. Conclusion Shia Muslims have been sufering since the beginning of conlict in the Syria. SRW has had muliple dialogs with various groups ighing in Syria to keep Shia Muslims and other innocent ciizens out of their violence, but no acion has been taken. SPOTLIGHT, SPECIAL EDITION . 31 Malaysia Background Malaysia is a predominantly Muslim country situated in Southeast Asia. It occupies land on the mainland bordering Thailand, as well as the northern part of the island of Borneo, bordering Indonesia, Brunei and the South China Sea. Malaysia was formed in 1963 when former Briish colonies came together and established a federaion. The government was set up as a consituional monarchy, led today by King Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah and Prime Minister Mohamed Najib bin Abdul Najib Razak. Malaysia is an ethnically and religiously diverse society, which has led to tensions between various groups. Of the over 29,628,000 people living in Malaysia, roughly 60% are Muslim with signiicant Buddhist, Chrisian and Hindu populaions. The Muslim populaion is predominantly Sunni, however, with roughly 280,000 Shia Muslims currently living in Malaysia. Summary of Violations Although religious freedom is oicially guaranteed under the Malaysia consituion, the meaning of this freedom is disputed by various poliical paries. Consequently, religious freedom is a highly contenious poliical issue that is openly debated by poliicians, human rights acivists, lawyers, journalists, and other sectors of civil society. Currently, the Malaysia government circumvents the consituionally guaranteed freedom of religion by declaring Shia Islam a deviant religion that threatens naional security and divides Muslim society. Because of this, the government has coninued to oppress the Shia populaion in Malaysia. Violations • Secion 1. Respect for the Integrity of the Person, Including Freedom from: A) Arbitrary Arrest or Detention One of the largest mass arrests on religious grounds in recent Malaysian history took place in December 16, 2010. As Shia Muslims were observing Ashura, the Shia holy day commemoraing the death of the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson, at the Ali al-Ridha Islamic Center in Seri Gombak, Selangor Islamic Religious Department oicers (JAIS) burst in and detained between 128 and 200 Shia. This sweep against the Shia was reportedly the strongest Malaysian government acion taken against any group since the sect was banned in 1996. A second case of mass arrests on religious grounds in recent Malaysian history occurred on the birthday anniversary of the daughter of the Prophet Mohammad, Lady Faimah. In May 2011, Religious Department oicers, accompanied by at least 20 security forces, atacked a gathering of Shia Muslims and detained at least four in the latest discriminatory acion against the religious in Malaysia. Prominent Malaysian Shia leader Kamil Zuhairi Abdul Aziz and three other followers were arrested by Malaysian security forces. Several Shia Muslims were arrested following the atacks on the Shia ceremonies. In some cases detainees were ined as well. Their arrests were not legal and the government has not, but must give a clear explanaion for its acions toward Shia Muslims. • Secion2. Respect for Civil Liberies, including: A) Freedom of Religion Although the dominant religion in Malaysia is Islam, the country is mulicultural. All the world's major religions have substanial representaion in Malaysia. While religious freedom is oicially guaranteed under the Malaysian consituion, this has been interpreted in diferent ways. The government selecively enforced exising legal restricions on religious freedom. The government banned 56 of what it considered "deviant" interpretaions of Islam, maintaining that deviant views SPOTLIGHT, SPECIAL EDITION . 33 endangered naional security and could divide the Muslim community. Banned groups include Ahmadiyah, Islamailiah, Shia Islam, and Bahai, among others. Shi’ism is either considered a non-Islamic deviaion from ‘true Islam’ or Shia Muslims are not allowed to freely pracice their faith and religious rituals. B) Freedom of Expression Malaysian Shia Muslims do not feel safe in their country. They have repeatedly conirmed that the government is watching them and they do not feel safe to express their beliefs and to pracice their faith, even in the privacy of their religious centers. Some Shia ciizen complained that in order to protect their children, they do not even talk about their true faith with their own family. • Secion 3: Discriminaion A 1989 Islamic law and a 1996 fatwa by Malaysia’s top Islamic clerics banned Shi’ism, declaring it a deviant ideology. Increasingly inluenced by Saudi Wahhabi ideology, the Malaysian government acively promotes false propaganda and hate speech against Shia Muslims. For example, in March 2011, the Malaysian government issued a statement deining Shia Muslims as a ‘deviant’ sect that “is barred from promoing their faith to other Muslims but are free to pracice it themselves.” Although the oicials stated that Shia can pracice their faith if they do not preach it, there are incidents that government authoriies burst in a private Shia gathering in Shia Islamic center and arrested paricipants. Conclusion: Malaysia is a Muslim country where Shia Muslims are not free to pracice their faith. Non- Muslims have not complained about any discriminaion in this country; however, diferent sects of Islam do not feel safe. Although Malaysia only recognizes Sunni Islam as the oicial religion of state, Wahhabism is a growing sect in this country. It is believed that Saudi Arabia is supporing the Malaysian government in suppressing the Shia Muslim populaion. 34 . www.shiarightswatch.org Closing Eight countries (in only one part of the world) are the countries with the most Shia Muslim rights violaion as of 2012. Historically, Saudi Arabia was the only country promoing Shia Muslim rights violaions however within just a few years that number has increased to eight countries in which Shia Muslims are being kidnapped, sexually and physically abused, arrested and killed. SRW is concerned about the extreme escalaion of the number and type of the violaions. We hope by increasing awareness, fostering dialogue with various groups, urging the government to take acion, educaing the public and demanding media outlets to cover violaions, we and other human rights organizaion can decrease the number of violaions and also number of countries in which Shia Muslims are oppressed. SRW staf, volunteers and members start their days hoping and aiming to take a step forward toward spreading democracy and freedom and defending jusice and rights as they are the organizaion’s mission. SPOTLIGHT, SPECIAL EDITION . 35 :Category I :Countries with many reported Shia Muslim rights violaions belong to this category. Those countries are