Thousands join Saudi funeral ceremony

Thousands of people in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province have participated in a funeral procession of a 20-year-old man killed by regime forces, Press TV has learned. Munib al-Sayyed al-Adnan was shot dead by security forces on Wednesday night during a demonstration in Shweika, Press TV reported on Saturday. Saudi regime forces have in the past few days killed at least five peaceful protesters in the country's eastern parts. Ali Abdulla al-Qarayrees, a 26-year-old man from the Awamiya town was also killed on Wednesday. Ali al-Felfel, 24, and a nine-year-old girl were shot dead in a demonstration in Qatif during the late hours of Monday. Regime forces also killed 19-year-old Nasser al-Mahishi in Qatif on Sunday night. The eastern parts of the kingdom have been the scene of anti-government protests over the past months, with demonstrators urging human rights reforms, realization of freedom of expression as well as the release of political prisoners. Saudi activists say there are more than 30,000 political prisoners, mostly prisoners of conscious, in jails across the kingdom. According to human rights campaigners, most of detained political thinkers are being held without trial or legitimate charges and have been arrested on grounds of mere suspicion. The demonstrations are being held despite the ultraconservative Saudi regime's known intolerance of dissent. On March 5, the Saudi Interior Ministry called all public gatherings 'illegal,' authorizing regime forces “to take all measures needed” against the people defying the ban.