2011 Qatif uprising

Qatif uprising is a riot and violence that turned into armed clashes that took place in eastern Saudi Arabia.

Background

The beginning of these events coincided with the Arab Spring and allegations of marginalization of Shiites in the eastern region, which led to demonstrations by thousands of Shiite demonstrators in Al-Ahsa and Al-Qatif to demand freedom of expression and caused clashes that left dead and injured demonstrators and Saudi security forces. Saudi Arabia classified what was happening in the eastern region as terrorist acts, and the Saudi Ministry of Interior issued an order to end the demonstrations. The Saudi government accuses Iran and Qatar of being behind this. Public opinion was critical of Saudi Arabia's actions against the Shiite community, especially the President of the United States at the time, Barack Obama. Allegations emerged indicating that Hezbollah is involved in supporting Shiite groups in the eastern region. The leader of the Shiite Hezbollah organization, Hassan Nasrallah, was accusing Saudi Arabia of sectarianism against the Shiites and calling on Shiite citizens in Saudi Arabia to demonstrate against the government and to incite Shiites in all countries of the world to stand against Saudi Arabia. In some demonstrations, the flag of Bahrain was raised as evidence of the solidarity of Saudi Shiites with the Bahraini Shiites in the events in Bahrain in 2011. Human rights organizations have criticized the Saudi government's executions of Shiites in the Eastern Province, describing them as bloody.

The beginning of events 2011 – 2012

With the coincidence of the events of the Arab Spring in most Arab countries, especially in Bahrain, on February 17, hundreds of Shiites went out in Qatif to demand economic reforms in Qatif and Al-Ahsa, and to demand Shia rights in Saudi Arabia, and this continued until 2012. Twenty Shiite demonstrators and four security forces were killed, and 952 people were arrested, then 735 people were released.

References

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