It is with great sadness that IECOC joins in mourning the loss of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, who was executed by Saudi Arabian authorities on January 2, 2016, along with a number of other civil activists. IECOC will be holding a vigil for Sheikh al-Nimr on Thursday evening, January 7, 2016, beginning at 7:30 pm. All are encouraged to participate in this vigil.
Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr was a prominent Saudi scholar and human and civil rights leader who openly and bravely spoke out against the injustices of his society as well as others in the region. He was known for his powerful message: “The weapon of words is stronger than bullets.” For many years, Sheikh al-Nimr sought to bring about change by peacefully advocating for equal rights for all Saudis, focusing on the repressed Shia Saudi citizens and residents, who for decades have suffered various forms of discrimination by the Saudi rulers and religious establishment. During the Arab Spring, Sheikh al-Nimr participated in the peaceful protests in the Saudi Kingdom and called upon officials in his country to engage in reforms that would bring greater equality to all of his country’s citizens. He was also a vocal critic of other repressive regimes in the region, famously stating that all who are oppressed should be aided against their oppressors. In 2012, Sheikh al-Nimr was attacked and imprisoned. In 2014, he was sentenced to death by a Saudi court, in what has been widely argued to be an extremely flawed trial.
We pray to the Most Merciful Lord to bestow His peace and blessings upon the soul of the martyred Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, as well as those murdered unjustly with him, and to bring patience to his family members as well as all freedom and justice loving people around the world, for this tragic loss.