Prince Reza Pahlavi Protests Assault in Iranshahr with Hashtag ‘Fragile Security’

Prince Reza Pahlavi reacted to reports of assault in Iranshahr in Sistan and Baluchestan province and protested the lack of response and cover-up of this crime in the Islamic Republic with the hashtag #fragile_security.

Prince Pahlavi wrote on Twitter: In the fortieth year of the tyrannical sect’s assault on the body, soul and psyche of Iran’s people, particularly women, in broad daylight, the girls of Iranshahr have been assaulted. Under the rule of criminals and the corrupt: imprisonment and torture are for freedom seekers and rights activists; and complete freedom and security are for torturers and perpetrators of assault.

Prince Reza Pahlavi’s reaction comes following the release of reports about assault on a group of women in Sistan and Baluchestan province.

Days after reports of assault on a group of women in Iranshahr and the arrest announcement of one of the main suspects in the case, news of this suspect’s connection to “institutions of power and wealth” raised concerns about how the case would be handled.

Mullawi Tayyib Molazahi, Sunni Friday prayer leader, spoke in his Eid al-Fitr prayer sermons about the assault on 41 girls in this county.

On Monday, June 28, Tayyebeh Siavashi, a member of the women’s faction in the Islamic Consultative Assembly, confirming the remarks of the Iranshahr Friday prayer leader, told IRNA news agency about the assault on a group of girls in Iranshahr that her follow-up from “unofficial sources” shows the detained person in this case “possesses a position of financial and power base.”

However, it remains unclear what specific institutions this parliamentarian was referring to regarding the main suspect’s connection to institutions of power and wealth.

On the other hand, while the scope of the case remains unclear and contradictory reports have been published about the number of victims of this incident, Iran’s Chief Prosecutor announced on Monday by denying this incident in the way it has been presented, that the source of the news about assault on a group of women in Sistan and Baluchestan will be prosecuted.

According to him, since only two or three people have filed complaints, the matter of assault on a group of women, or assault on more than 40 women and girls, is a lie.

The release of reports about assault on a group of women and girls in Iranshahr on Sunday led to a protest march by residents of the city.

Hours later, Iran’s interior minister ordered the governor of Sistan and Baluchestan to investigate the matter of assault on a group of women and girls, and the governor was to provide an accurate report to Iranian citizens.

Meanwhile, one of the concerns regarding this incident is how families deal with the women and girls who are victims.

Mohammad Balochzahi, a local official in Sistan and Baluchestan, wrote on Twitter that most families of assault victims consider their daughters a stain on the family’s honor. According to him, in similar cases, some families resort to “physical elimination” of their daughters.

He expressed hope that responsible organizations would provide necessary counseling assistance.

In this regard, Mullah Abdulhamid, Sunni Friday prayer leader in Zahedan, in an interview with ILNA news agency requested that the girls of Iranshahr who have been assaulted file complaints without fear in order for the matter to be properly addressed.

Stating that these girls are innocent, he said no one has the right to treat them badly or act towards them poorly, because they are innocent.

Official reports indicate that following a complaint filed by a girl about ten days ago, two other girls have since filed complaints related to past incidents of kidnapping and assault, but unofficial reports indicate that the main suspect arrested has confessed to approximately 40 cases of assault on women and girls.

Source: Voice of America