Saudi Martyr Laid to Rest, Clerics Call for Self Restraint in Qatif Saudis held a funeral for the martyr who was killed by security forces on Sunday, as clerics and local dignitaries called for calm and self restraint in the east

Saudis held a funeral for the martyr who was killed by security forces on Sunday, as clerics and local dignitaries called for calm and self restraint in the eastern province of Qatif.

Thousands of Qatif residents took part late on Tuesday in the funeral of Mohamad al-Felfel who was killed during clashes between protesters and security forces on Sunday.
Sunday protests took place city following the arrest of a prominent cleric, Shiekh Nemr Nemr, raising fears of a new wave of unrest in the Kingdom.

Photos of al- Felfel showed the martyr with signs of bullets in his head, shoulders and legs.

For their part, clerics and local dignitaries called for avoiding escalation in the Kingdom, as they urge self restraint.
"It is necessary to avoid an escalation with unforeseen consequences," said the statement signed by several figures of the region.

The signatories, including former Judge Abdullah al-Khenizi, also appealed to the authorities and to the general public to exercise self restraint.
They further asked the authorities to withdraw any armored vehicles from towns and cities in the eastern province of Qatif.

On the other hand, Amnesty International said in May that seven people had been killed and a number of others injured in clashes between the authorities and protesters in the Shiite-populated region since November.

The protests escalated after the kingdom led a force of Gulf troops into neighboring Bahrain to help crush a peaceful uprising against Al Khalifa.