Anti-Shiism Incidents: January 2025

Anti-Shiism Incidents: January 2025 Report by Shia Rights Watch 

Executive Summary:

This report from Shia Rights Watch (SRW) documents a significant number of human rights violations targeting Shia Muslims globally during January 2025. The incidents detailed include terrorist attacks, armed assaults, state-sponsored oppression, and systematic discrimination. The report emphasizes that the documented cases represent only a fraction of the actual violations due to challenges in verification and access to information. The most affected countries are Pakistan, Bahrain, Lebanon, Syria and Saudi Arabia, with Syria exhibiting a particularly alarming pattern of ethnic cleansing and mass atrocities.

Key Themes and Findings:

• Widespread Anti-Shi'ism: The report paints a picture of a global phenomenon, documenting incidents across multiple countries. SRW emphasizes, "This report provides a detailed account of terrorist attacks, armed assaults, bombings, and systematic oppression carried out against Shia Muslims in various countries."
• Pakistan: Siege and Targeted Violence: The situation in Pakistan, specifically in Kurram, is dire, with a siege by extremist groups leading to shortages of food and medicine and over 200 deaths. The report details numerous attacks, including the killing of protesters ("Pakistani security forces shot and killed Ali Raza Rizvi, a protester demanding the lifting of the siege on Parachinar"), attacks on aid convoys ("Extremist groups ambushed a convoy carrying food and medical aid to Kurram, setting all trucks on fire"), and the targeted killings of Shia civilians ("Extremists abducted and executed a Shia citizen, Saqib Hasnain"). The report also notes attacks on religious sites and the arrest of human rights activists.
• Bahrain: Systemic Discrimination and Restrictions: Bahrain continues to exhibit systematic discrimination against its Shia population, including a prolonged ban on Friday prayers at the Imam Al-Sadiq Mosque in Diraz. The report also highlights employment discrimination, with "over 20,000 Bahrainis remain unemployed, while 600,000 foreign workers are employed in the country," and arbitrary arrests.
• Lebanon: Assassination and Conflict: Lebanon experienced the assassination of a Shia cleric ("Sheikh Mohammed Hammadi was murdered by unknown gunmen in West Bekaa") and a violent conflict resulting in significant civilian casualties ("Attack on southern Lebanon resulted in the killing of 22 civilians and injuries to 124 others").
• Syria: Ethnic Cleansing and Atrocities: The situation in Syria is described as an ethnic cleansing campaign targeting Shia villages, particularly in Homs and Latakia. The report lists a series of brutal incidents, including mass arrests, extrajudicial executions, looting and destruction of homes, forced displacement, desecration of religious sites ("Extremists vandalized and desecrated the shrine of Mohsen ibn Hussein in Aleppo"), and the discovery of mass graves ("Locals discovered a mass grave containing the bodies of four Shia siblings in Tasnayn village, Homs"). A particularly disturbing pattern emerges of Alawites (a Shia sub-sect) being specifically targeted, with reports of massacres ("Massacre of Shia youth in Baniyas"), forced displacement ("Ethnic cleansing in Al-Safira, Aleppo"), and mass arrests ("A mass arrest operation in Homs led to the disappearance of over 200 Alawite civilians, including women and children.").
• Saudi Arabia: Executions and Repression: Saudi Arabia is cited for executing Shia prisoners ("Abdullah Ahmed Al-Salim, a Shia prisoner from Qatif, was executed by Saudi authorities") and arresting religious figures ("Mohammed Bu Jbara, a Shia religious reciter from Al-Ahsa, was arrested for pe