Anti-government demonstrations took place after Friday prayers in the Sistan and Baluchestan province, southeast of the country. Scenes posted on social media showed a demonstration starting from t.
4 February 2021, 14:08 UTC
Iranian authorities must immediately halt any plans to execute four Baluchi and four Ahwazi Arab men amid an alarming rise in executions of ethnic minority prisoners in the past two months, Amnesty International said today. The international community, including UN human rights bodies and the EU must urgently intervene to save their lives.
“The recent escalation in executions of Baluchis and Ahwazi Arabs raises serious concerns that the authorities are using the death penalty to sow fear among disadvantaged ethnic minorities, as well as the wider population. The disproportionate use of the death penalty against Iran’s ethnic minorities epitomizes the entrenched discrimination and repression they have faced for decades,” said Diana Eltahawy, Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International.
(AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
The Iranian theocracy executed at least 12 prisoners in numerous cities last week. One of those executed was a female prisoner hanged in Sepidar Prison in Ahvaz.
The victims include Behnam and Shoaib Rigi in Zahedan Prison on December 20, Shahab Javid in Qom Central Prison on December 17, Rasoul Ferdows in Borujerd Prison and Mohammad Moradi in Saqez Central Prison on December 17, three prisoners in Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj on December 17 and two prisoners in Esfarayen on December 13.
These are just some of the death sentences that have been made public. Many prisoners are secretly executed. Many more prisoners are on death row.