The Free

Saudi’s genocidal Racism against Shia minority in Qatif, as in Yemen

Saudi Regime to Displace 521 Families, Raze Houses in Shia area of Qatif

Middle East: The Saudi regime plans to displace hundreds of families in Saudi Arabia’s Shia-majority Qatif region and raze their houses as part of a crackdown on dissent.

The regime would like to wipe our the Shia minority who are seen as similar to the Houthis in Yemen, and as being a danger of importing their Ansarullah social revolution.

The genocidal policy of the Saudis is at the root of the war in Yemen, and is a reason why the Houthis could not accept Hadi, the Saudi installed president, who was elected but was the only candidate.

Nashet Qatifi, a renowned Saudi human rights activist, said in a post on his Twitter account on Monday that the Riyadh government had announced plans for the eviction of more than 521 families from Qatif within 90 days as well as the destruction of their houses in retaliation for their children’s participation in a 2011 anti-regime uprising.

Undaunted by repression, Saudi Shiites pursue protests

Qatifi said the families had been offered a fee but did not intend to sell or move out of the area as the sum offered was not enough to buy a house.

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Migrants stuck in Spain’s Canary Islands say camps are unfit

By JOAN GIRALT and RENATA BRITO https://apnews.com/article/europe-canary-islands-immigration-coronavirus-pandemic-africa-88d0aac22162d3936377a307d40c931c

SAN CRISTOBAL DE LA LAGUNA, Spain (AP) — While Spain has criticized Europe for not sharing responsibilities on migration, the country is finding itself under fire from migrants, local officials and human rights groups on the Canary Islands, where thousands who made hazardous sea crossings from Africa say they are stuck in inadequate camps.

More than 23,000 people from Morocco and West Africa arrived on the resort archipelago in the past year as authorities cracked down on previously popular routes on the Mediterranean. Spain has sought to keep what it sees as economic migrants, mainly from Morocco and Senegal, from continuing their journeys to the mainland by stopping them from boarding planes and ferries, while allowing through potential asylum-seekers and the most vulnerable.

When existing reception centers on the islands filled up, the government put up to 8,000 people in tourist hotels left empty by the coronavirus pandemic and built six large temporary camps to house 6,300.

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Migrants line up to receive food in Las Raices camp in San Cristobal de la Laguna, Tenerife, in the Canary Islands. (AP Photo/Joan Mateu)

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Solidarity: THE BARCELONA 8

BARCELONA 2/17/2021.- Several protesters throw objects at a riot squad vehicle at a demonstration to protest the arrest of rapper Pablo Hasel, who entered prison the day before, convicted of crimes of glorifying terrorism and insults to the Monarchy, this Wednesday in Barcelona. EFE / Enric Fontcuberta

Derry Anarchist Black Cross

Spanish rapper Pablo Hasel -who barricaded himself inside the University of Lleida, defying a court order for his arrest- was finally kidnapped by Catalan police on 16th February 2021 and jailed on a nine-month sentence for “insulting the Spanish monarchy, insulting the Spanish army and police forces, and praising terrorism and banned groups” both in his statements on social media and the lyrics of his songs.

Almost two hours after officers from the Catalan police force went in early on Tuesday, Hasel was led away shouting “they will never silence us; death to the fascist state”.
Dozens of supporters had earlier built a barricade at the university in Lérida (Lleida in Catalan), 150km (90 miles) west of Barcelona. Pictures from the scene showed activists spraying fire extinguishers at police before he was arrested in the university rector’s building.

On Tuesday night protests broke out in cities across Spain. In Barcelona…

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Hunger-striking US activists demand end to criminal Yemen blockade by Saudis/US.

By Jillian Kestler-D’Amours at aljazeera.com shared with thanks.illustrations/links added

Iman Saleh has not eaten anything in 17 days.The 26-year-old Yemeni American and her younger sister, Muna, came to Washington, DC late last month from the US state of Michigan to draw attention to the humanitarian crisis in Yemen, where a war has raged for six years.

Yemeni-American activist Iman Saleh, who launched a hunger strike for Yemen in March 2020, participates in a protest in Washington, DC, the United States on April 3, 2021 [Courtesy Laura Albast]