Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, at the start of his course to clerics at the post-jurisprudence level on Sunday morning, strongly condemned Saudi Arabia’s major crime in martyring the pious and innocent scholar, Sheikh Nimr Baqir al-Nimr. Underscoring the necessity for the international community to feel responsibility vis-à-vis this crime and similar crimes committed by the Saudi regime in Yemen and Bahrain, Ayatollah Khamenei noted: “Doubtlessly, this innocent martyr’s blood, which was spilled unjustly, will quickly show its effect and the divine vengeance will befall the Saudi politicians.”
Ayatollah Khamenei added: “This innocent scholar had neither incited people to take up arms nor had he hatched any covert plot, and the only activity he did was open criticism [of the Saudi regime] and ordering good and prohibiting vice, which stemmed from his religious zeal and fervor.”
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution described Sheikh Nimr’s martyrdom and the unjust spilling of his blood as a political mistake made by the Saudi government, saying: “The Almighty God shall not ignore the innocents’ blood and the unjustly spilled blood will backfire on the politicians and the executives of this regime very quickly.”
Strongly criticizing the silence of the self-proclaimed advocates of freedom, democracy and human rights, and their support for the Saudi regime, who spills the blood of the innocent only for criticism and protest, Ayatollah Khamenei said: “The Muslim world and the entire world must feel responsible towards this issue.”
Ayatollah Khamenei also mentioned the harassment and torture of Bahraini people by the Saudi military forces and the destruction of their houses and mosques as well as more than 10 months of bombing of the Yemeni civilians as other examples of the Saudi regime’s crimes, noting: “Those who honestly care for the future of humanity and the fate of human rights and justice must pursue these issues and should not remain indifferent vis-à-vis this situation.”
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution also stated: “Definitely, Martyr Sheikh Nimr will avail himself of the Grace of God and without a doubt the divine vengeance will befall the oppressors, who encroached upon his life and this is the same thing that will be a cause of consolation.”