Concerns about the Executions of Ahvazi Arab Activists in Iranتشدید نگرانی در مورد احتمال اعدام تعدادی از فعالان عرب اهوازی

NOVEMBER 11, 2018

Iran Human Rights (IHR); November 11, 2018: IHR has received information about the execution of several Ahvazi Arab activists on Thursday, November 8.

Two different sources confirmed to IHR that several Ahwazi Arab activists were executed on Thursday, November 8, at one of the prisons in the Iranian city of Ahvaz (Ahwaz).

“In the aftermath of the September attack to a military parade in Ahvaz, Iranian Ministry of intelligence announced that 22 people were arrested for alleged connection to the incident. It seems that authorities executed all of them on Thursday. Today [Sunday, November 11] they told the prisoners’ families that the executions were carried out. They warned the families against public mourning.”

Of note, a military parade was attacked by armed gunmen in the southwestern Iranian city of Ahvaz on 22 September 2018. Iranian security forces arrested 22 people for alleged connection with the attackers.

IHR sources believe that the executions were carried out at Sheyban Prison in Ahwaz.

There is no information about the process of the prisoners' interrogation, trial, and their access to a lawyer.

According to a source, Mohammad Momeni Timas, Nesar Momeni, Ahmad Heydari, and Hatam Savari are among the executed prisoners. IHR could not yet contact their families to confirm the names independently. We will keep our readers updated as soon as we receive confirmed information.

The Islamic Republic authorities had previously carried out executions as retaliation for the Iranian soldiers’ lives. In October 2013, 16 Baluchi prisoners were hanged in Zahedan Prison in retaliation for the deaths of at least 14 border guards in an ambush.