Senior Iranian cleric condemns intensified pressures against Saudi shiite figure

Ayatollah Nasser Makarem Shirazi, a senior Iranian religious leader, lashed out at the Al Saud regime for prolonged imprisonment of prominent Shiite cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, who has been in jail for several months for calling for the freedom of political prisoners in the Arab country.Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi's remarks came after a Saudi prosecutor called for the execution of Sheikh al-Nimr."They (Saudi authorities) have arrested a number of senior Shiite figures and even a prosecutor has demanded the execution for one of them who is a renowned scholar called Sheikh al-Nimr," Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi said."Muslims will not keep silent on the demand for the execution of Sheikh al-Nimr," he added.In similar remarks last week, two Iranian lawmakers condemned the Al Saud regime for prolonged imprisonment of prominent Shiite cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, who has been in jail for several months for calling for the freedom of political prisoners in the Arab country."The Saudi judiciary system is attempting by all means to protect the decrepit rule of Al Saud against possible threats," member of the Iranian Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Mansour Haqiqatpour said.Member of the Iranian Parliament's Presiding Board Hossein Sobhaninia also condemned the Saudi royal family for intensified pressures against Saudi people, and said, "Such dictatorial moves will not hinder the wave of the Islamic Awakening in the region, but on the contrary, will put forward the downfall of the Al Saud regime."Since February 2011, protesters have held demonstrations on an almost regular basis in Saudi Arabia, mainly in Qatif and Awamiyah in Eastern Province.The demonstrations turned into protests against the al-Saud regime after November 2011, when Saudi security forces killed five protesters and injured many others in the province.Saudi forces have also arrested dozens of people, including prominent Shiite cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr.The country's officials warned in October, 2012 that they would deal "firmly" with anti-regime demonstrations. Amnesty International slammed the warning, and urged the authorities to "withdraw their threat".