Massive Saudi rally remembers victims of regime crackdown

Saudis have massively thronged the streets of the city of Qatif in the east of the country to commemorate 14 people killed by the kingdom’s security forces during an anti-regime protest a year ago,Press TV reports.

On Thursday, hundreds of protesters condemned Al Saud regime for its refusal to launch a probe into the suspicious killings.

The demonstrators also denounced the Saudi government’s violent crackdown on peaceful rallies held from time to time to demand the release of political prisoners.

Last month, the Saudi Interior Ministry warned the public against staging demonstrations in support of the political prisoners in the kingdom and pledged to deal “firmly” with those participating in such protest rallies.

Since February 2011, protesters have held demonstrations on an almost regular basis in the country’s Eastern Province, mainly in Qatif and the town of Awamiyah, calling for the release of all political prisoners, freedom of expression and assembly, and an end to widespread discrimination.

The demonstrations have grown more critical of the repressive Al Saud regime, especially since November 2011, when Saudi security forces killed five protesters and injured many others in the province.

Saudi forces have arrested dozens of people, including prominent Shia cleric Sheikh Nemr al-Nemr.

According to Human Rights Watch, the Saudi regime “routinely represses expression critical of the government.”