The Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr Baqir al-Nimr, was sentenced to death on Wednesday by a Saudi Arabia court for leading anti-government protests, his brother shared on Twitter.

According to a Twitter post by Mohammed al-Nimr, his brother was sentenced to death for opposing the government and "encouraging foreign meddling" from Iran, RT.com reported.

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Al-Nimr's family, however, said the Shia minority protest leader only took part in "peaceful and non-violent protests." They added that the court's verdict was politically motivated, the report relayed.

In an interview with Reuters, Qatif community leader Tawfiq al-Seif, said al-Nimr's death sentence will not only come as a shock to people, but will also drive down the state's credibility among the people of Shi'ite.

Additionally, al-Seif, who is a figurehead in the eastern part of the region where protests were rampant, said that the government may be trying to tell people that it will not act kindly to those who will show disobedience.

In a report by several media agencies, it stated that the court's decision has finally put an end to a trial, which began in March 2013.

According to reports, the prosecutors demanded that al-Nimr be crucified,  wherein he will be beheaded, and his body will be displayed in public.

However, official reports have yet to confirm the final form of execution that will be used. According to Mohammad al-Nimr, his brother was not convicted of insurgency, for which a public display of the dead body is the punishment.

When al-Nimr was taken into custody in 2013, Human Rights Watch said that he was denied medical care and defense lawyers during his trial.

According to the international group, Saudi's legal system was "unfair' and handed out "horrible and gruesome penalties" and were not in accordance with any international legal system.

Tagsshia cleric, Death Sentence, anti-government protest, Sheikh Nimr Baqir al-Nimr