Toronto,
07-19-2012 – Baloch Human Rights Council (Canada) has expressed serious
concerns over the deteriorating human rights situation in Balochistan under the
theocratic Iranian regime. The human rights body noted that the autocratic
practices of the Iranian state and its ruling clergy are spiraling out of
control in repressing the rights and freedoms of Baloch people and their cultural
identity.
In
a statement released by BHRC, the ongoing civil unrest and arbitrary detentions
of civilians in the various towns of District Sarbaaz and Zahidan (Iranian
Balochistan) were largely a result of the fascist regime’s continuous policy of
discrimination toward Baloch people and the oppressed nationalities in Iran.
Following
the May 14, 2012 public protest in Sarbaaz to denounce the unlawful arrest of
Abdul Ghafar Naghshbandi, one local, Jan Mohammad Dehghani died and several
others were injured because of indiscriminate use of excessive firepower by
Iranian security forces on the peaceful protesters.
In reaction to the
injustices and violations by the regime’s security forces, public protests spread
to the neighbouring towns of Jakigwar and Parood. In response to the public outcry,
Iranian authorities began conducting mass arrests of Baloch youth to quell
public participation in the protest rallies. As a result of the crackdown, more
than 15 individuals were picked up randomly by the security forces from
district Sarbaaz townships of Rask, Hiet, and Parood as well as the capital
city of Zahidan. The arrested individuals were then shifted to Zahidan for
detention. Following is the list of detainees presently imprisoned in Zahidan.
1-
Molawi Fateh Mohammad Naghshbandi, 55, arrested from Rask
2-
Abdul Ghafar Naghshbandi, arrested on May 14, 2012 from Rask
3-
Molawi Abdolah Molazadeh, 48, arrested from Parood
4-
Hamed Molazadeh, 23, arrested from Zahidan
5-
Habib al Rahman Molazadeh, 29, arrested from Zahidan
6-
Nezamodin Molazadeh, 18, arrested from Zahidan
7-
Jaber Molazadeh, 22, arrested from Hiet
8-
Malek Mohamad Abadian, 50, arrested from Hiet
9-
Abdol Hadi Abadian, 20, arrested from Hiet
10-
Javad Abadian, 18, arrested from Hiet
11-
Foaad Abadian, 17, arrested from Hiet
According
to the family sources, initially, the whereabouts of the illegally detained
persons was not revealed until a lawyer representing the families of the
detainees was able to contact the authorities and was
granted access to the imprisoned persons in Zahidan. However, to the amazement of the lawyer who met the detainees and
the prison authorities, there was not a single legal
charge against the detained individuals, and that they were held without any
legal procedure. When the lawyer attempted to
point out to the authorities the legal issues involved in the detention of these individuals, he was asked to
leave the premises immediately without any explanation.
Meanwhile,
Kayhan, the official Iranian newspaper that caters to the establishment
policies, published the government version, falsely accusing the detainees
being involved in the assassination of Molavi Janguzahi, spying for Western
powers, conspiring to kill Iranian nuclear scientists, and involvement in drug
trafficking. While these accusations are being publicized in the media, none of
the detained individual has been officially charged. Family members of the imprisoned
persons fear that in the past such charges usually led to summary trials and executions
inside the prison. With every day that passes, the fear of losing innocent
lives is growing among the traumatized families and the people of Sarbaaz.
BHRC condemns
the arbitrary arrests and unlawful detentions of the peaceful protesters in the
strongest terms and appeals to the international community, European Union,
UNHRC, UNPO, and the Amnesty International to intervene urgently and save the
lives of the innocent people of Balochistan.
Zaffar Baloch,
President,
BHRC (Canada)
bhrccanada@gmail.com
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