Sheikh al nimr biography

Shia Muslim religious figure and Saudi government critic; executed in 2016

AyatollahSheikhNimr Baqir al-Nimr^[a] (21 June 1959 – 2 January 2016), commonly referred to as Sheikh Nimr, was a Saudi Shiasheikh from Al-Awamiyah in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province.

His arrest and execution were widely condemned by various governments and human rights organizations.^[6]

He was popular among youth^[7] and critical of the Saudi Arabian government, advocating for free elections in Saudi Arabia.^[8] In 2006, al-Nimr was arrested by Saudi authorities, during which he claimed to have been beaten by the Mabahith, a Saudi secret police agency.^{[citation needed]} In 2009, he criticized Saudi authorities and suggested that if the rights of Saudi Shia were not respected, the Eastern Province should secede.^[2][6][9] In response, Saudi authorities arrested al-Nimr along with 35 others.^[2][5&#