Saudi man gets 15 years for shiite cleric support Nimr al-Nimr

A court in Riyadh has sentenced a Saudi national to 15 years in prison for supporting executed Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr, local media reported on Thursday.

Nimr and three other members of the kingdom's minority Shiite community were among 47 people convicted of terrorism and executed on a single day in January.

The executions provoked anger among Shiites and concern in the West and raised tensions between Sunni-dominated Saudi Arabia and Shiite Iran.

Nimr was a driving force behind protests among Shiites that began in 2011.

Those protests later developed into a call for equality in the kingdom where Shiites, most of whom live in the kingdom's east, complain of marginalisation.

Al-Riyadh newspaper did not name the convicted man, who it said took part "in rallies and marches" in the Shiite-dominated Gulf coast district of Qatif.

He was also convicted of "chanting anti-state slogans and sympathising with the deceased Nimr", as well as helping to block roads and burn tyres, it said.

Among other accusations, the newspaper said he was willing to provide "the materials needed to make explosives" for attacks in the kingdom.

Nimr's Qatif-area hometown of Awamiya has been the scene of repeated security incidents since 2011.

After the protests started, police issued a list of 23 wanted people. Many suspects on that list have already been detained or killed in shootouts.

TASMAC Employees Withdraw Indefinite Protest in Tiruppur

TASMAC employees in Tiruppur have withdrawn their indefinite shop closure protest after receiving assurances from Prohib...

Union Minister Suresh Gopi Reviews Key Oil, Gas Pipeline Projects at High-Level Meeting in Coimbatore

Union Minister of State for Petroleum & Natural Gas and Tourism Suresh Gopi reviewed the progress of the Irugur–Devanago...

Senior Journalist L. Rajagopal Selected as Part of Anti-Ragging Committee at DJ Academy of Design

The committee comprises representatives from various fields including education, police, parents and students, and journ...

Goondas Act Invoked Against Two Accused in Sulur Girl's Rape and Murder Case: IG Ramya Bharathi

In Coimbatore, Goondas Act has been invoked against Karthik and Mohankumar, the two accused in the Sulur Pallapalayam 10...

Coimbatore Sanitary Worker’s Integrity Shines as Gold Chain Promptly Returned to Owner

A Coimbatore Corporation sanitary worker Sakthivel from Ward 69 discovered a 3-sovereign gold chain accidentally discard...

Sulur Girl Sexual Assault and Murder Case: PIL Seeks Special Investigation Team Probe

A public interest petition has been filed in the Madras High Court seeking a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into...