Saudi Forces Arrest Two Shia Activists, Run over Elderly Woman in Qatif

Saudi regime forces arrested two anti-regime activists and run over an elderly woman from the kingdom’s oil-rich and Shia-populated Qatif region in Eastern Province.

News ID: 446347

Date: 04 August 2019 - 11:07

RNA - Informed sources, requesting not to be named, said Saudi forces ran over the woman, whose identity was not immediately available, near al-Karama roundabout in the town of al-Awamiyah in late July 31, Mirat al-Jazeera news website reported on Friday.

She was rushed to hospital for treatment, and her fate remains unknown ever since.

Separately, Saudi forces detained Zakaria Mohammed al-Bannawi, a resident of Awamiyah, upon his return from the holy city of Medina in early July. Bannawi was arrested without knowing the main reasons for this arbitrary arrest, which was carried out without providing an arrest warrant or a summons.

The report comes as Saudi authorities have been holding social activist Dargham Abdullah al-Ahmad since early July. He was arrested during his travel to Kuwait. The main reasons for his arrest have not been clarified yet.

Eastern Province has been the scene of peaceful demonstrations since February 2011. Protesters have been demanding reforms, freedom of expression, the release of political prisoners, and an end to economic and religious discrimination against the oil-rich region. The protests have been met with a heavy-handed crackdown by the regime, with regime forces increasing security measures across the province.

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