Brother of Executed Shiite Cleric Al-Nimr Calls for Peaceful Reaction

Mohammed al-Nimr, the brother of Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr executed by Saudi authorities on Saturday, said that he expected a reaction from Saudi Arabia’s Shiite population, "but we urge again to prevent any reaction outside the peaceful framework."

BEIRUT (Sputnik) — Mohammed al-Nimr, the brother of Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr executed by Saudi authorities on Saturday, has called for a peaceful response to his brother’s death, in a phone comment to Sputnik.

Sheikh al-Nimr was sentenced in 2014 for alleged involvement in terrorist activities. He was put to death alongside 46 other convicts, most of them Saudi nationals.

"We took this stance from the very beginning, saying that we would not resort to violence even if Sheikh al-Nimr were executed," Mohammed al-Nimr said.

He added he expected a reaction from Saudi Arabia’s Shiite population, "but we urge again to prevent any reaction outside the peaceful framework."

The brother of the killed cleric said his death came as a shock to his family. He said Sheikh al-Nimr was revered among the population of the Shiite-majority Eastern Province and in the Muslim world in general.

"His death is an escalation that can trigger outrage among the people," Mohammed al-Nimr warned.

The Sunni monarchy stepped up prosecution of terrorism-related crimes in early 2014. According to Amnesty International, more than 150 people were executed in the country in 2015, which is the highest recorded figure in 20 years.