Categories : News

Bahrain’s Double Standard on Religious Freedom: The Case of Ashura 2020

Ashura is a time of mourning and remembrance for the Shia Muslims. In Bahrain, its observance serves as both a symbol of their religion and a marker of their religious freedom. However, this year, Bahraini authorities have continued the systematic discrimination against the Shia citizens by curtailing their freedom of religious observation, citing COVID-19 as…

For ADHRB Weekly 368, click here.

Why are anti-Shia sentiments on the rise in Pakistan? | The Express Tribune

Between 2001 and 2018, approximately 4847 Shias were killed in incidents of sectarian violence. Some databases estimate over 10,000 innocent lives were lost during this time. The statistics are evidence of the blatant disregard for Shia lives, the complacency of State institutions and their failure to protect minorities.

See also The Diplomat.

Police fire pellet guns on Kashmir Muharram procession: Witnesses

Government forces have fired shotgun pellets and tear gas to disperse hundreds of mainly Shia Muslims participating in a Muharram procession in Indian-administered Kashmir, injuring dozens, witnesses have said. The violence came as the disputed Himalayan region – where nearly 97 percent of residents are Muslims – observed Ashoura on Saturday, the 10th day of the Muharram month in the Islamic lunar calendar.

The Growing Influence of Salafism in Muslim Mindanao | Insurgencies | Types of Conflict | IPAC

Marawi Muslims rallied against the 2016 shooting of a Saudi cleric in Zamboanga. The Growing Influence of Salafism in Muslim Mindanao (Jakarta, 8 January 2020) The puritanical stream of Islam known as Salafism is making major inroads in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) in the southern Philippines, in a way that could foster greater social conservatism in areas such as education, freedom of religion and women’s rights.

Muharram 2020: Individual and Community Guides Against Covid-19 – Shia Rights Watch

While millions of dollars have been spent on COVID-19 vaccinations, not much has been done to address mental health dilemmas related to the pandemic. As necessary as public health actions such as social distancing are, they leave people feeling isolated and alone. The lack of face-to-face communication and reduced social interactions add on financial and …

Taliban reaches out to Shias

The Taliban insurgency seems to be pulling all the stops it can to gain political legitimacy in Afghanistan ahead of the intra-Afghan peace talks. In a new video message from the Taliban, released on April 22, the group seeks the support of the Hazara Shias and wants to recruit from the long persecuted minority.

See also:The New Arab

Islamic University of Italy and University of Tehran MoU

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been agreed between the University of Tehran College of Farabi and the Islamic University of Italy. “The MoU meeting was hold in a virtual platform on Tuesday , July 28 and the MoU document was signed by the president of both sides.”

BAHRAIN – TORTURE VICTIMS AT RISK OF EXECUTION IN BAHRAIN FOLLOWING COURT RULING

13 July 2020 – Bahrain’s highest court, the Court of Cassation, has confirmed the reimposition of death sentences against torture victims Mohamed Ramadhan and Husain Moosa, who have now exhausted legal remedies and are at risk of imminent execution, pending ratification by Bahrain’s king, the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD) stated today.

For BIRD Weekly 274, click here.

Incidents of Anti-Shiism, June 2020

SRW is a non- governmental, not-for-profit research and advocacy organization headquartered in Washington D.C.

UK-Funded Oversight Bodies Challenged in Parliament Over Death Penalty Torture Cover-Up

9 July 2020 – Today, Father of the House Sir Peter Bottomley posed an urgent question in the House of Commons regarding Bahraini torture survivors Mohammed Ramadhan and Husain Moosa, who will have their final appeal against their death sentences heard on 13 July 2020. The ensuing debate, in which 25 other parliamentarians posed questions,…

For access to BIRD Weekly 273, click here.