"But Saudi attempts to lump together people convicted for their opinions, such as Nimr, with al Qaeda militants and label them all as “terrorists” is particularly sinister. Nimr’s personal history shows that he was an outspoken revolutionary who thought the Arab uprisings were a historic opportunity to overthrow the old dictators, whether in the Gulf or in Syria, where he called for the downfall of President Bashar al-Assad. According to all accounts, he did not incite violence, but rather called for peaceful protests, and certainly did not shoot at police himself. Nimr must therefore be seen as a political prisoner, and his execution as a calculated attempt by Saudi Arabia to heighten sectarian tensions both at home and abroad."
PS My dissent is that I have a hard time bestowing the title "revolutionary" on any cleric of any religion. None deserves it.
PS My dissent is that I have a hard time bestowing the title "revolutionary" on any cleric of any religion. None deserves it.
