#OpNimr Anonymous targets Saudi websites to stop al-Nimr’s crucifixion

#OpNimr – Anonymous targets Saudi websites to protest against a death sentence of crucifixion to a 17-years old for alleged anti government activities.

The popular collective Anonymous has launched the #OpNimr campaign against the Government of Saudi Arabia to protest against it continuous violation of human rights. Anonymous targets Saudi websites is in response to the death sentence handed down to 17-year-old Mohammed al-Nimr.

Earlier in September, the Government has confirmed the Nimr’s sentence of death by crucifixion for alleged anti-government activities in 2012, its execution can now be carried out at any moment.

“Ali al-Nimr is at imminent risk of execution for crimes he said he was tortured to ‘confess’ to. He was 17 years old at the time. ” states Amnesty International

Who is Mohammed al-Nimr?

Ali al-Nimr was sentenced to death on 27 May 2014, when he was only 17 years old,  for taking part in demonstrations against the government, attacking the security forces, possessing a machine-gun and armed robbery.

The man is also accused of using a BlackBerry to encourage people to join the protest.

As explained by Amnesty International the Government has based its judgment on confessions extorted under torture. Members of Anonymous have started their campaign calling for Nimr’s release, the hacktivists added that he had been denied a lawyer and confirmed the tortures.

“Campaigners also claim he was forced to sign a confession, which has formed the basis of the case against him … Now, with all legal avenues exhausted, Ali could be crucified at any moment.”

Ali al-Nimr had been arrested on 14 February 2012, when he was 17 years old, and taken to the General Directorate of Investigations (GDI) prison in Dammam, in the Eastern Province. He was not allowed to see his lawyer and has said that GDI officers tortured him to make him sign a “confession”.

Various reports confirm the presence of Nimr at the demonstration, but he was not an activist. Human rights defenders believe that the death sentence of crucifixion is a sort of political “revenge” because Nimr is a nephew of Shia cleric and activist Sheikh Nimr Baqr al-Nimr, who is also facing execution because he gave a speech at anti-government protests in Qatif.

“Ali Mohammed al-Nimr, an innocent young teenage boy has been sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia and we will not stand by and watch,” Anonymous said in a statement directed at Saudi Arabia. “Naturally, the sentence was appealed but the appeal hearing was held in secret and apparently dismissed.”


Anonymous announced its offensive via Twitter, it began #OpNimr by targeting a number of government websites.

We hope you listen to us this time and release the young man. You will be treated as a virus and we are the cure.”

The list of targets is long and it is available on Paste bin, it includes the Ministry of Justice (www.saudinf.com), the Ministry of Civil Service (www.mcs.gov.sa), the General Administration of Education (tabukedu.gov.sa), PSATRI, Saudi Arabia’s technological center for its military and security sectors (psatri.ksu.edu.sa); and even Saudi Airlines (saudiairlines.com). Currently, most of the sites are back up except for the Ministry of Justice’s.

A full list of targeted websites has been published on Paste bin.

“Hundreds of innocent people die each year because of the Saudi Arabian government and they will now be punished for their actions,” the group’s statement said.

Anonymous is also criticizing the silence of many other governments that seems to be indifferent to the case of al-Nimr, in particular the group of hacktivist is blaming the British Government for its slackness. Anonymous is also criticizing the UN for delegating Saudi Arabia a key “human rights role,” but cases like this one  raise many doubts about the conduct of the government in Riyadh.

Do you feel that the crucifixion is tolerable today? How can the West remain indifferent?

“13 Judges have already approved the death sentence of Ali Mohammed al-Nimr meaning only King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has to approve it. We cannot and will not allow this to happen. The ministry of justice was taken offline a few days ago and we will continue to do this to other government websites.” is the messages of Anonymous to King Salman and the Saudi Arabian Government.

The UN has asked Saudi Arabia to stop the execution, the sentence of crucifixion is inhumane as atrocious, Nimr is set to be beheaded before his body is displayed on a cross in public.

Do you think it right? Do you think it a just punishment to be imposed?

Stop Torture, no more crucifixion!

Pierluigi Paganini

(Security Affairs –  Anonymous,  #OpNim)

Pierluigi Paganini

Pierluigi Paganini is member of the ENISA (European Union Agency for Network and Information Security) Threat Landscape Stakeholder Group and Cyber G7 Group, he is also a Security Evangelist, Security Analyst and Freelance Writer. Editor-in-Chief at "Cyber Defense Magazine", Pierluigi is a cyber security expert with over 20 years experience in the field, he is Certified Ethical Hacker at EC Council in London. The passion for writing and a strong belief that security is founded on sharing and awareness led Pierluigi to find the security blog "Security Affairs" recently named a Top National Security Resource for US. Pierluigi is a member of the "The Hacker News" team and he is a writer for some major publications in the field such as Cyber War Zone, ICTTF, Infosec Island, Infosec Institute, The Hacker News Magazine and for many other Security magazines. Author of the Books "The Deep Dark Web" and “Digital Virtual Currency and Bitcoin”.

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