AhlulBayt News Agency

source :
Monday

15 June 2009

7:30:00 PM
162267

Saudi authorities close Mosques to prevent Shia to hold Friday prayers

For the third week successively the Saudi security forces put under a siege the mosque of al-Thaqba in al-Khober, a city in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province .

For the third week successively the Saudi security forces put under a siege the mosque of al-Thaqba in al-Khober, a city in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province .

The police prevented the Shia citizens to enter the mosque to hold Friday prayers without given any explanation .

On the last Friday , the security forces did the same thing which rose a feeling of resentment with Shia citizens .

It is worth to mention that on 25 May the police arrested Abdullah Saleh al-Muhanna, a retired mayor of al-Khober after holding Friday prayers at his home for members of the Shia community .

The Saudi authorities do not give permission to the Shia community to conduct religious services or to construct a mosque in which to do so.

The public practice of faiths other than Sunni Islam is not tolerated in Saudi Arabia. Even when practicing their faiths in private members of other faiths are at risk of persecution.

The state considers Shia Islam to be incompatible with the Wahhabi interpretation of Islam and imposes restrictions on its practice. Members of the Shia Muslim community may face arbitrary arrest and detention, and fear of prosecution prevents them from practicing their faith freely.

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