UN Demands Saudi Regime End Siege on Al-Awamiya

Rasa - The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights at the United Nations demanded that the Saudi regime, Wednesday, halt its ongoing siege of the predominately Shiite city of al-Awamiya in the Eastern part of the kingdom.

News ID: 429884

Date: 25 May 2017 - 23:50

RNA - “Despite our attempt to raise concerns and seek explanation from the Government about the planned destruction, bulldozers and demolition vehicles, assisted by armed military forces, have reportedly started on 10 May to destroy buildings and homes in the walled historic neighborhood and in other areas of Awamiya, causing injury, deaths and material losses to the civilians residents,” the group of UN experts said, Al Masdar reported.

“Historic buildings have been irremediably burned down and damaged by the use of various weapons by the military, forcing residents out of their homes and of the neighborhood, fleeing for their lives,” noted the Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights, Karima Bennoune.

“These destructions erase the traces of this historic and lived cultural heritage and are clear violations of Saudi Arabia’s obligations under international human rights law,” she stressed.

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