SRW Warns of Widespread Abuses Against Shia Muslims in Multiple Countries

SRW Warns of Widespread Abuses Against Shia Muslims in Multiple Countries
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Shia Rights Watch (SRW), an international pro-Shia rights group, has released its latest monthly report documenting severe rights violations targeting Shia communities across several countries. The report highlights incidents of repression, religious restrictions, arbitrary arrests, and terrorist attacks during the past month, stressing that the documented cases do not reflect the full scale of abuses due to limited access and lack of evidence in some regions.

In Iran, Israeli airstrikes on densely populated civilian areas killed and injured hundreds, including many women and children. In Afghanistan, dozens of Shia citizens were detained in Daikundi province during Eid al-Adha celebrations for defying the official holiday date. In Pakistan, sectarian incidents included the storming of a cleric’s home in Sargodha and the unexplained arrest of another in the capital.

In Bahrain, Shias were again prevented from holding Friday prayers in Diraz for the 38th consecutive week, with repeated attacks on Ashura rituals and official threats against Husseiniya owners amid tight security crackdowns. Kuwait saw public debate over new restrictions on Shia mourning gatherings, limiting them to homes under strict conditions.

In Syria, the report documented widespread killings, kidnappings, mass arrests, and the discovery of mass graves, alongside an armed raid on the Sayyida Zainab Shrine near Damascus that endangered worshippers. The organization called on the international community to urgently protect Shia communities, uphold their civil and religious rights, and hold perpetrators of sectarian violence accountable.