1) #HumanRights #Muharram #Ashura #MalaysianShias #Malaysia #Shia #ShiaPersecution #YaAli #ImamHussain

A thread on the situation of Shia Muslims in Malaysia:

2) Imminent mass arrests of Shia Muslims in Malaysia in the coming days during the month of Muharram. Urgent attention needed!

3) With #Muharram and the day of #Ashura approaching, Shia Muslims in many parts of the world cannot observe this period of highly spiritual importance to them, due to their mourning gatherings being under the threats of extreme violence, socially stigmatised or outrightly barred

4) And while #Muharram related news are obviously focused on the potentially violence-hit and massive Shia gatherings in places like Iraq, many other places go unnoticed even though Shia Muslims in those places have to observe their mourning period under extreme difficulties.

5) One such place is Malaysia, where Shia religious gatherings are legally barred since a fatwa (religious edict) issued in 1996 by the Fatwa Committee of the National Council for Islamic Affairs declaring Shiaism a deviant ideology.

6) (it is amazing that so few people even within the Shia world talk or even know about this situation in Malaysia).

7) To understand the issue, these are few news and headlines coming out of Malaysia in recent times:

8) And:

9) And:

10) And:

11) And the police raid:

12) They gathered in a field for mourning and praying:

13) The gatherings are not even large, as Shia population is not large in Malaysia anyway. But the country does not tolerate even these small ones in private homes and the police raid them and arrest even the women and children.

14) And then this:

15) And:

16) South China Morning Post:

17) Saudi Arabia again:

18) The Japan Times:

19) Another raid photo:

20) This is shameful level of persecution, harassment and social stigmatisation by the Malaysian authorities. For local Shias it is a living hell. For immigrant Shias, a constant threat even of deportation from the country.

21) Then there is the case of the abduction and disappearance of Amri Che Mat who was being accused by the local Sunni clerics of “spreading Shiaism”.

On 24th of November, 2016, Amri’s car was found near Perlis Timah Tosah Dam in Perlis.

His fate remains unknown to this day.

22) Amri was a foreign exchange trader, a loving husband and father to four children.

Previous to his disappearance, he reportedly received numerous warnings from the Perlis Religious Department to reduce his social activities.

23) It has also been reported that the local Sunni mufti had shown up on Amri's doorstep along with the local law enforcement officials questioning him and his family about their Shia beliefs.

24) Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM)’s findings concluded that the Malaysian police's Special Branch (SB) was responsible for the disappearance of Amri.

His steadfast wife Norhayati Ariffin (seen in the photo crying) pursues his case while raising the children.

25) Right now Malaysia's Shia minority is preparing for the coming Muharram. They are steadfast but very worried as the venomous sectarian rhetoric from the Sunni clerics (with the full backing of Malaysian state) is at its peak because of Muharram.

We pray for their safety.

26)

Urgent Appeal !!!!!!

Please write to the international human rights bodies immediately and start online petitions demanding the end to Shia persecution in Malaysia. Raise the awareness. Raids on Shia homes could start anytime now.

Many thanks.

27/27) #StopThePersecutionOfShiasInMalaysia

28/28) Sorry, forgot to add this photo: