Execution of Nimr al-Nimr

Nimr Baqir al-Nimr was a Shia cleric and critic of the government in Saudi Arabia, who was beheaded on 2 January 2016,[1] one of 47 people executed that day for terrorism offenses.

In October 2014, Saudi Arabia's Supreme Court approved a death sentence for Nimr for disobeying the ruler, inciting sectarian strife, and encouraging, leading and participating in demonstrations.

[5][7] Protests were held after Nimr's execution in many cities of the world such as London, Tehran, Chicago, Toronto,[8] Iranian holy cities of Qom and Mashhad, Iraq,[citation needed] Lebanon, Afghanistan,[citation needed] Pakistan, India's Jammu and Kashmir state, Turkey, and in front of the Saudi Embassy in Athens, Greece[9] Washington, United States,[10] and Canberra, Australia.

[17] The day after, protests were held again by hundreds of Iranians in Tehran,[citation needed] and President Rouhani called the damage on the embassy "by no means justifiable".

[21] On 5 January 2016 a Candlelight vigil was held in Ladakh by Buddhist, Christian and Muslim (Shia & Sunni) communities of Leh and Kargil to demonstrate their solidarity with human rights and voice against Nimr's execution, a local kashmir journalist Raqib Hameed Naik reported.