Rally Planned in Saudi City of Al-Awamiya in Solidarity with Sheikh Nimr
The demonstrators will call for the release of the Shia cleric, who has been in jail since 2012.
On Thursday, Saudi protesters once again held a demonstration in the Qatif region of Eastern Province, calling on the Royal family to overturn the death sentence handed to Nimr.
In the British capital, London, demonstrators staged a rally in solidarity with the cleric, who is sentenced to death for taking part in anti-regime protests in 2011.
The protesters and rights activists called for the immediate release of Sheikh Nimr and criticized the UK government for ignoring rights violations in Saudi Arabia.
Sheikh Nimr was detained in July 2012 following demonstrations that erupted in the country's Qatif region. He is accused of delivering anti-regime speeches and defending political prisoners.
His arrest sparked widespread protests in the Arab country.
There have been numerous demonstrations in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province since 2011, with protesters calling for political reform and an end to widespread discrimination. A number of people have been killed and many have been injured or arrested during the demonstrations.
The monarchy has intensified the repression not only against Shia Muslims, but also against Sunnis and other dissident voices.
International human rights organizations have criticized Saudi Arabia for failing to address the rights situation in the kingdom.
On May 1, Amnesty International criticized Saudi Arabia for its grim human rights record, arguing that widespread violations continue unabated in the oil-rich country even though a new king has taken the helm of the absolute monarchy.
