Riyadh: Saudi Shiites held two small protests in the kingdom's oil-producing east on Friday, demanding the release of a cleric and other prisoners, witnesses, human rights activists and Shiite sources said.
More than 100 protesters marched through the city of Hofuf to demand the release of Shiite cleric Tawfiq Al Amir who was arrested after calling for a constitutional monarchy and a fight against corruption, witnesses and human rights activists said.
In the Gulf coast town of Qatif, more than 100 protesters demanded the release of Amir and other detained Shiites, witnesses said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Videos posted on YouTube.com showed pictures of what purported to be the protests. There was no immediate confirmation by the government that any protests had been held.
Similar demonstrations were held in Qatif and the neighbouring town of Awwamiya on Thursday night.
Saudi Arabia's Shiite minority mostly live in the east, which holds much of the oil wealth of the world's top crude exporter and is near Bahrain, scene of protests.
