Protest Rally Held in Mashhad in Solidarity with Khuzestan People
A group of civil activists in Mashhad held a protest rally to express solidarity with Khuzestan protests, calling on the Iranian people to join the demonstrations and demanding the release of political prisoners. Security forces arrested a number of protesters.
On Sunday evening, the 10th of Mordad (August 1st), a group of civil activists in Mashhad organized a protest rally to express their solidarity with the protests of Khuzestan’s people. Mashhad protesters also demanded the release of all political prisoners.
In a video released from this demonstration, the rally participants held images of victims from the 1398 (2019) protests as well as placards supporting Khuzestan people’s demonstrations.
The protesters asked the people of Mashhad to “break their silence of several years and show sympathy with people who want water and are shot at by security forces instead, and to raise their voices together.”
The protesters stated that they intended to hold their rally on Sunday at 18:00 in Mellat Park in Mashhad, but were unable to organize the gathering due to the heavy security atmosphere.
According to Mashhad civil activists, security personnel arrested Fatema Sepehri, a political activist and signatory of the “Statement of 14 Women Activists Demanding Khamenei’s Resignation,” and Javad Lal Mohammadi, a member of the Iranian Teachers’ Professional Association in Mashhad, along with several others whom they could not identify.
Hrana News Agency echoed this news by publishing a tweet.
The rally participants in the released videos said they were forced to hold the gathering in another park. Mashhad protesters chanted slogans including “Khorasan with Khuzestan, unity, unity,” and “Political prisoners must be freed.”
Protests in Iran have continued in recent days. On Saturday, the 9th of Mordad (July 31st), a protest rally was also held in front of Tehran City Theater at the request of a group of Iranian artists.
Protesters chanted slogans at Valiaser Square and the premises of Tehran City Theater in support of Khuzestan protests. According to reports published on social media, they chanted slogans including: “The country has no water, the killing continues.”
This rally also turned violent following the presence of police and plainclothes forces.
Demonstrations in various Khuzestan cities began some time ago in protest against water shortage and the inefficiency of Islamic Republic officials. The scope of these protests has spread to most parts of Iran and has been accompanied by violent responses from security forces.
