The Tragic Camp Speicher Massacre: A Devastating Moment in Modern History

On June 12, 2014, one of the most horrific events in recent history unfolded at Camp Speicher, an air force base near Tikrit, Iraq. This brutal massacre saw the systematic execution of approximately 1,500 to 1,700 unarmed Iraqi Air Force cadets and soldiers by ISIS militants. This atrocity remains a poignant reminder of the extreme violence and sectarian hatred that can emerge in times of conflict.

The young cadets, primarily Shia Muslims, were ordered by their commanders to leave the camp under the guise of a safe passage home. However, this safe passage turned into a death march as ISIS fighters captured many of them along the roads leading away from the base. The captives were segregated based on their sect before being transported to various execution sites. These sites included the Tigris River and the presidential palaces built by Saddam Hussein. At these locations, the cadets were systematically executed in cold blood.

Evidence and Documentation

The evidence of the Camp Speicher massacre has been well-documented through various sources, including ISIS propaganda videos. These videos, released by ISIS to spread terror, show the cadets being loaded onto trucks, tied up, and executed. Some were shot in mass graves, while others were thrown into the Tigris River. Satellite images and photographs analyzed by Human Rights Watch corroborate these events, showing the mass graves and the sites of execution.

The massacre was not only a physical assault on the cadets but also a psychological warfare tactic employed by ISIS. The images and videos of the massacre were intended to instill fear and demonstrate the group’s brutal capacity for violence. This act was part of a broader strategy by ISIS to consolidate control over regions in Iraq and Syria through sheer terror.

 International Response and Commemoration

The international community has condemned the massacre at Camp Speicher. Various human rights organizations have documented the atrocities to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice. The United Nations Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Da’esh/ISIL (UNITAD) continues to gather evidence and support efforts to hold ISIS accountable for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.

Organizations such as [Shia Rights Watch](http://www.shiarightswatch.org) and [International Shia Day](http://www.internationalshiaday.com) play a crucial role in raising awareness about the plight of Shia Muslims and advocating for the rights of the victims and their families. Shia Rights Watch has been instrumental in documenting the massacre and advocating for justice and reparations for the families affected by this tragedy.

Aftermath and Ongoing Efforts

In the aftermath of the massacre, the Iraqi government and international bodies have worked tirelessly to recover and identify the bodies of the victims. As of 2015, nearly 994 bodies had been exhumed, with over 500 positively identified through DNA analysis. The process of identification continues, as many families await closure.

The Camp Speicher massacre stands as a stark reminder of the consequences of unchecked extremism and the vulnerability of minority groups in conflict zones. It underscores the importance of international solidarity and action in preventing such atrocities in the future. By commemorating the victims and supporting organizations like Shia Rights Watch, we honor their memory and reinforce our commitment to human rights and justice.

For more information and to support ongoing efforts, please visit [International Shia Day](http://www.internationalshiaday.com) and [Shia Rights Watch](http://www.shiarightswatch.org).

The Camp Speicher massacre remains a devastating chapter in modern history, illustrating the depths of human cruelty and the enduring need for vigilance and advocacy in the face of injustice.

We challenge you to open your hearts and see that even though the world seems to grow darker, there still exist 612 reasons to flare brightly against it, together.

• Tweeting with the hashtag #IntShiaDay & #612ShiaDay
  
• Like and share us on Facebook and Twitter
• Learn more about International Shia Day by visiting the website here

We invite you to prioritize your humanitarian values and encourage international collaborations that would increase peaceful coexistence and promote the rights of minorities all over the world.

Together we can save lives.

On April 23, 2019, Saudi Arabia carried out a mass execution of 37 individuals, most of whom were Shia Muslims. This event is a stark reminder of the sectarian tensions and human rights abuses that continue to plague the region. The executions, which took place in various locations across the country, were part of a broader crackdown on dissent and were condemned internationally as a violation of human rights.

Evidence and Documentation

The Saudi government claimed that those executed were convicted of terrorism-related charges, but human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have reported that many of the confessions were obtained under torture and that the trials were grossly unfair. Among those executed was Mujtaba al-Sweikat, who was only 17 years old at the time of his arrest. His execution sparked outrage as it violated international laws prohibiting the execution of minors​ (The Independent)​​ (UNIKOM)​.

The executions were carried out in the wake of the Arab Spring, during which there were significant protests in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, home to the country’s Shia minority. The protests were fueled by long-standing grievances related to discrimination, lack of political representation, and economic marginalization. The Saudi government’s response was marked by a severe crackdown on dissent, leading to numerous arrests and, eventually, the mass execution in 2019​(The Independent)​​ (UNIKOM)​.

International Response and Advocacy

The international community reacted strongly to the mass execution. United Nations human rights experts condemned the act, calling for accountability and transparency in Saudi Arabia’s judicial process. Organizations such as Shia Rights Watch and International Shia Day have been at the forefront of advocating for the rights of Shia Muslims and highlighting the injustices faced by this community in Saudi Arabia and beyond.

Shia Rights Watch has documented numerous cases of human rights violations against Shia Muslims in Saudi Arabia, including arbitrary arrests, torture, and unfair trials. The organization continues to call for international pressure on the Saudi government to end its discriminatory practices and ensure justice for the victims​ (The Independent)​​ (UNIKOM)​.

Aftermath and Ongoing Efforts

The 2019 mass execution has left a lasting impact on the Shia community in Saudi Arabia and has highlighted the broader issues of sectarianism and human rights abuses in the region. Families of the executed individuals continue to seek justice and accountability. The lack of transparency and fairness in the Saudi judicial system remains a significant concern for human rights advocates.

Efforts to address these issues are ongoing. International organizations, including the United Nations, continue to monitor the situation and call for reforms in Saudi Arabia’s legal and political systems. The work of advocacy groups like Shia Rights Watch and initiatives such as International Shia Day play a crucial role in raising awareness and mobilizing support for the rights of Shia Muslims.

Conclusion

The execution of Shia Muslims in Saudi Arabia in 2019 stands as a devastating example of the extreme measures taken by the state to suppress dissent and maintain control. It underscores the urgent need for international attention and action to address human rights abuses and ensure justice for marginalized communities. By supporting organizations like Shia Rights Watch and participating in initiatives such as International Shia Day, we can help to amplify the voices of the oppressed and work towards a more just and equitable world.

For more information and to support ongoing efforts, please visit International Shia Day and Shia Rights Watch.

We challenge you to open your hearts and see that even though the world seems to grow darker, there still exist 612 reasons to flare brightly against it, together.

• Tweeting with the hashtag #IntShiaDay & #612ShiaDay
  
• Like and share us on Facebook and Twitter
• Learn more about International Shia Day by visiting the website here

We invite you to prioritize your humanitarian values and encourage international collaborations that would increase peaceful coexistence and promote the rights of minorities all over the world.

Together we can save lives.

June 12 marks International Shia Day, a day dedicated to recognizing hardships Shia Muslims as a minority group face.

Shia Muslims, including Zaydis, Ismailis, and Twelvers make up half of the world Muslim population. Yet, despite their vast existence, they have one of the highest rates of discrimination and violent targeting worldwide.

Shia Muslims are subjected to discrimination, imprisonment, and even execution for practicing their beliefs by not just terror groups, but also by governments who have systematized anti-Shiism within their domestic and foreign policies.

Violence against Shia Muslims does not differentiate victims by age, gender, location, or socioeconomic status. In 2020, sentiments of Shia Muslims led to the massacre of newborns pregnant women in Kabul, Afghanistan, leaving a scene so horrific that Médecins Sans Frontières’ head of programs in Afghanistan, Frederic Bonnot said, “It’s shocking. We know this area has suffered attacks in the past, but no one could believe they would attack a maternity ward. They came to kill the mothers.”

The year 2020 showed the world that agents of Anti-Shiism not only ostracize Shia Muslim existence, they also disfavor humanitarian actions post-violence. This was most recently seen in the death of 19-year-old Aya Hachem and the stark withdrawal of donations to help her family after she was identified as Shia Muslim.

In 2019, an approximate 3,540 incidents of imprisonment, denaturalization, injury, loss of life, life-sentences, kidnapping, denial of services, arrests, and property damage targeting Shia Muslims were reported by Shia Rights Watch. The organization noted that this number is just the tip of the iceberg as the majority of Anti-Shia violence is not reported in fear of persecution.

Not only do people not report violence, they actively withhold their religious identity.

This International Shia Day, Shia Rights Watch calls on all individuals to stand proud in support of individual rights to exist. We all have the right to express our identities without the fear of being targeted. The right to Be is regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic status, and 2020 is the year to stand up for our brothers and sisters in humanity.

No longer can discrimination be justified. No longer can Anti-Shiism be vindicated. We will stand together.

We challenge you to open your hearts and see that even though the world seems to grow darker, there still exist 612 reasons to flare brightly against it, together.

• Tweeting with the hashtag #IntShiaDay
• Like and share us on Facebook and Twitter
• Learn more about International Shia Day by visiting the website here

We invite you to prioritize your humanitarian values and encourage international collaborations that would increase peaceful coexistence and promote the rights of minorities all over the world.

Together we can save lives.

To shine a familiar light upon the injustices committed against Shia minority throughout the globe, we’d love for you to come visit us in the National Park this Shia Rights Day, June 12th at noon as we share a way to continue to look towards the sun. Sunglasses will be given out alongside a poem or two to allow you to see through the eyes of two cultures separated by a world of difference, but brought together through a universal experience.

As our climate grows ever more hostile and the tension in the air becomes nearly palpable, we must find reasons to stand in solidarity through our similarities rather than continue to clash opposed on the basis of difference. The Shia Rights Watch and its constituents acknowledge this and carry it in their hearts as they look towards the horizon of a brighter tomorrow, a vision we now invite all to share.

We challenge you to open your hearts and see that even though the world seems to grow darker, there still exist 612 reasons to flare brightly against it, together.

• Tweeting with the hashtag #IntShiaDay
• Like and share us on Facebook and Twitter
• Learn more about International Shia Day by visiting the website here

We invite you to prioritize your humanitarian values and encourage international collaborations that would increase peaceful coexistence and promote the rights of minorities all over the world.

Together we can save lives.

As the world feels even more unstable for many, including Shia, fear for future raises too. However these hard times transforms ordinary people to strong advocates who use their voice to stand up for others. Shia Rights Watch volunteers, advocates and staff are proud to be part of such transformation as we invite more people to join our cause to defend Shia on International Shia Day.

This year, Shia Rights Watch (SRW) is launching a five-step campaign themed “Plant the Seeds of Humanity.” Please join us in our campaign to spread awareness and tolerance towards minority groups around the world.

These five steps are designed to teach, encourage and help you take action against anti-Shiism. Five steps Info-graphs can be accessed through www.InternationalShiaDay.com and social media.

2017 campaign includes a five-step process towards achieving awareness and tolerance. As the countdown to International Shia Day begins, SRW will be releasing one step each day. We encourage you to get involved and follow our progress as we work towards a global understanding and awareness about Shia Muslims. Ways to get involved with the campaign include:

• Tweeting with the hashtag #612ShiaDay
• Like and share us on Facebook and Twitter
• Learn more about International Shia Day by visiting the website here

We invite you to prioritize your humanitarian values and encourage international collaborations that would increase peaceful coexistence and promote the rights of minorities all over the world.

Together we can save lives.

This year International Shia day is to honor Nigerian Shia Muslims.  

In December 2015, Nigerian security forces violently stripped the existing Shia community of their basic right to practice their belief system. As it was reported and investigated by Shia Rights Watch and all other human rights NGOs, local forces attacked Shia Muslims during a 48 hour window.  The military crackdown of the local Shia religious center left not only the center in ruins, but also lead to the injury and death of more than 400 men, women and children. Local activist report the death of over 1000 people in the next 48 hours and stated many more disappeared since the attack.  Atrocious dehumanization of the Nigerian army did not cease with the life of those killed, but was furthered as the bodies of those slain were taken and disposed of in a mass grave, some of which was discovered months later.  Families of the deceased were not given the opportunity to see their loved ones, bury them or even know where their graves were located. Families remain grieved by the knowledge that their loved ones were not buried according to their Islamic laws of burial.   During the same attack, Shia scholars such as Sheikh Zakzaky, whose three sons were killed in clashes between the army and pilgrims in a religious procession in 2013, were arrested.  The army also detained more than 200 of his followers after the clashes of 2015.

Moreover, residents of the city say bulldozers demolished leaders’ residences, a Shia shrine, a prayer hall, clinic, and cemetery. Witnesses also reported that the soldiers broke down the door of a room where people were receiving medical treatment, killed everyone in the room and then set some of the bodies on fire.

The 2015 International Day of Shia Rights was the first annual Shia Rights Day hosted by Shia Rights Watch. The campaign had three different parts, one strictly local, one national, and one global so that it could reach people from all over the world. The rose for a rose campaign was local and consisted of several volunteers handing out 550 roses for two days near the Farragut North and DuPont Circle metro stops in Washington, D.C. Each rose was symbolic of one of the 550 imprisoned Bahraini Shia youth. Although roses were only given locally, many people tweeted it or shared their roses on other internet platforms making the campaign known to a much wider audience than just the people who received the roses. The legislative campaign, which was national called for people to contact their local congressmen or congresswomen to show their support for legislation dealing with religious minority freedom and rights. There was no way to tell how successful the legislative campaign was. Finally, the social media campaign in which people across the world were encouraged to discuss human and religious rights for minorities via the hashtag #612ShiaDay reached across the globe gaining internet traction even in the Middle East. The hashtag became viral during this period. Each part of the campaign helped to ensure that people across the globe could take part in International Shia Day in some way, shape or form.

The 2015 International Day for Shia Rights had three different campaigns…

• 1. Social Media Campaign: Using the hashtag #612ShiaDay participants were encouraged to reach out and engage in a discussion regarding minority rights and human rights violations around the world.

• 2. ‘Rose for a Rose Campaign’: Over the course of two days volunteers handed out 1100 roses, 550 each day, as a metaphorical representation of the 550 imprisoned youth in Bahrain.