On the 8th day, the uprising in Khuzestan spread to the other provinces; many protesters have been arrested, wounded or killed
24-July-2021
Category: ethnic minorities
23-July-2021
Newsgroup: Ethnic Minorities –
Breathing in Confinement: The body of Hadi Bahmani, one of the victims of the protests in the City of Izeh in Khuzestan, was buried.
Despite the oppressions and violent approach of security forces, protests against the water crisis continued in various cities of Khuzestan province and expanded to the neighboring provinces, including Isfahan, Fars, Bushehr and Kurdistan. Over the last 2 days, the internet service has been disrupted in most of the cities in Khuzestan, with mobile internet service has been shut down, and Wi-Fi internet has been very slow.
According to “Breathing in Confinement”, the news organ of the Prisoners’ Rights League in Iran, the protests against water crisis continued in various cities on the eighth day. On the night of Thursday, July 22, 2021, the protests continued in the cities of Izeh, Malachieh, Mahshahr and Susangerd in Khuzestan province and spread to the cities of Aligudarz in Lorestan, Port of Genaveh in Bushehr, Shahinshahr in Isfahan and to some of the cities in Kurdistan.
The peaceful protests in various cities turned violent by security forces who used force against people. Local sources report that a number of citizens were killed or wounded. The deputy governor of Lorestan province confirmed the death of a 20-year-old man without mentioning his name. Local sources however, report that more protesters were killed last night in Aligudarz. The body of 17-year-old Hadi Bahmani, who was killed in Izeh on July 20, was buried on Thursday, July 22.
The clashes in Mahshahr continued until late at night. The photos and videos posted on social media, show the security forces who open fire on unarmed people.
Many protesters in various cities have been detained by security forces. Local sources reported the arrest of more than 350 people in the cities of Ahvaz, Khorramshahr, Susangerd, Ramshir and Shavur. The identities of some of the detainees are as follows: Ali Kaab Alhaei, Mohammad Sakhravi, Bassem Heydari, Hassan Saeedi, Abbas Savari, Amer Zuhairi, Hamoud Chenani, Hamoud Shamousi in Ahvaz; Khalid Mazraeh, Ali Mazraeh, Qasem Mazraeh, Faisal Mazraeh, Issa Mazraeh in Shush; and Mansour Soleimani son of Yaber, Daram Soleimani son of Hasoud, Abdul Reza Soleimani, son of Yaber, Yarullah Soleimani and his son Ali Soleimani in Khorramshahr. The whereabouts of the detainees are yet to be known.
So far, no official information on the number of detainees have been released. Ali Shamakhani, the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, publishing a short note, confirmed the arrest of protesters in Khuzestan. He claimed that an “order” on the release of those detainees who “had not committed a criminal act” has been issued.
In addition, yesterday, the governor of Behbahan, without giving any details, confirmed the detention of a number of protesters whom he he referred to as “norm-breakers”.
Concurrently, in a threatening statement on Wednesday night July 21, the prosecutor of Ahvaz, referring to the protesting people in Khuzestan as “rioters,” threatened them with “a very tough approach.”
The protests in Khuzestan against the water crisis have been supported by many actors, artists, athletes, writers etc.
Lately, the House of Theater issued a statement in support of the protests of the people in Khuzestan saying: “The theater artists have been and will be with the great people of Khuzestan.”
In a statement, the Iranian House of Music also saying that people have the right to protest, continued: “The people who over the last forty years have stood up to the hardships and turmoil of war, water shortage and drought, need help our help and that of the authorities.”
Over the last one week, “Breathing in Confinement” has published reports on the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh days of the protests.
The Prisoners’ Rights League, supporting the peaceful protests of the people in Khuzestan, condemns the government’s repressive attitude and the firing of security forces on the people. In addition, the League calls on international community to take immediate action to clarify the number and identities of detainees and that of those who have been killed over the last one week, and as well, to urge the Iranian government to stop the oppressions and to release all detainees.