EU Warns of 'Dangerous Consequences' of Sheikh Nimr's Execution

Federica Mogherini, the EU's foreign policy chief, criticized the execution of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, a dissenting Shia cleric, warning that this could have "dangerous consequences" and ignite sectarian tensions in the region. In a statement released on Saturday evening, Mogherini referred to the "death penalty and mass executions" of opponents in Saudi Arabia, emphasizing that Sheikh Nimr's execution has raised deep concerns regarding freedom of expression and respect for basic civil and political rights in the Saudi kingdom. The statement specifies that the execution of this dissenting Shia cleric "could potentially ignite sectarian tensions with dangerous repercussions." Mogherini also urged Saudi officials to promote reconciliation among the various groups in the country. On Saturday, Saudi Arabia executed 47 opposition prisoners, including Sheikh Nimr Baqir al-Nimr, a prominent Shia cleric in the country. Some of those executed were prisoners linked to al-Qaeda and ISIS, and Reuters reported that the executions served as a warning that the Saudi kingdom would not tolerate any attacks from either the Shia minority or Sunni jihadists. Previously, the New York Times had reported that the mass execution of these opposition prisoners was unprecedented in Saudi Arabia in the past three decades. Germany also condemned the "mass execution in Saudi Arabia" in a statement on Saturday, specifically criticizing the execution of Sheikh Nimr. The German Foreign Ministry stated, "Our position is clear; execution is an inhumane form of punishment, which we condemn under all circumstances, and we are working with our European partners to ensure that this punishment is banned and abolished worldwide." However, the statement specifically criticized the execution of the prominent Shia cleric in Saudi Arabia, stating that this would exacerbate the widespread tensions between Shia and Sunni in the Middle East. The German Foreign Ministry asserted that "Sheikh Nimr's execution reinforces our current concerns about the rise of tensions and the deepening divides in the region." Meanwhile, the execution of the prominent Shia cleric in Saudi Arabia sparked widespread reactions in Iran, and Shia figures in Iraq and Lebanon also responded to the issue. In Iraq, Haider al-Abadi, the Prime Minister, emphasized in a reaction posted on his official Facebook page that Sheikh Nimr's execution would lead to "nothing but further devastation." He stressed that "human rights violations will harm the security and stability of the region." Nouri al-Maliki, the former Prime Minister of Iraq, echoed the sentiments of Iranian officials, stating that Sheikh Nimr's execution is "a sign of the decline of the Saudi monarchy," and emphasized that just as the killing of Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr [an Iraqi Shia cleric] led to the downfall of Saddam's regime, Sheikh Nimr's execution would also lead to the downfall of the Saudi regime. Hezbollah in Lebanon referred to Sheikh Nimr's execution as "murder" and firmly condemned the "evil crime committed by the Saudi regime under false pretenses and by a corrupt court." In Iraq, hundreds protested in the streets of Karbala against Sheikh Nimr's execution, with speakers calling for the closure of the Saudi embassy, which had recently opened in Baghdad. This demand was reiterated in a statement by Muqtada al-Sadr, condemning Sheikh Nimr's execution. The office of Haadi al-Modarresi, a religious authority with many followers in Bahrain, organized a gathering in Karbala where banners with slogans against the rulers of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain were displayed. In Bahrain, protests were held by Shia citizens in two areas west of the capital, which ended with police intervention and the use of tear gas. In this context, Iran summoned the chargé d'affaires of Saudi Arabia in protest against Sheikh Nimr's execution, with the Iranian Foreign Ministry stating that Sheikh Nimr's execution is a sign of Saudi Arabia's deep mismanagement.