Nimr Al-Nimr, the instigator of a riot that broke out in Awamiya, Qatif, two years ago, has been sentenced to death by a court in Riyadh.
Al-Nimr, who was formally charged with instigating riots, fueling sectarianism, inciting dissidence and creating unrest with the help of terrorists on a list of 23 wanted suspects, had refused to show up at court hearings at first, but was eventually forced to attend to defend himself.
The group had tried to lure others to join and protect wanted terrorists, especially after several suspects had been arrested and confessed to their crimes.
Al-Nimr had rammed his car into the back of a security patrol car as officers attempted to arrest a wanted suspect during the riot and then fled the scene.
Authorities determined that the car belonged to Al-Nimr after catching the vehicle’s license plate number.
The suspect was eventually arrested in a shootout with police and transferred to a military hospital in the Eastern Province.
Al-Nimr had openly criticized the arrest of nine criminals who had been found guilty of blowing up a residential complex in Alkhobar in 1995 and had called for fighting abroad.
Al-Nimr refused to disclose details about the websites he had used, but admitted that he had met with several suspects on the wanted list at a mosque even after their names and photos had been published by the Interior Ministry.
Other charges against him included denouncement of the government, and pledging allegiance to the 12 imams of the Shiite creed.
Al-Nimr took full responsibility for nine speeches, which were recorded and published on the Internet, calling for youth to join terror groups and questioning the legitimacy of Gulf governments.
Al-Nimr’s lawyers objected to the ruling. They were given 30 days to appeal.
