Iran’s Interior Minister Orders ‘Intensified Follow-up’ on Case of ‘Assault Against 41 Girls’ in Iranshahr

Iran’s Interior Minister, following reports about ‘assault against 41 girls’ in Iranshahr, issued an order to the governor of Sistan and Baluchestan requesting an ‘intensified’ pursuit of this matter and the preparation of a ‘detailed’ report on it.

Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli also requested that, through ‘maximum cooperation with the people, especially the elders and influential figures of the region,’ steps be taken to prevent the ‘exploitation of the wounded feelings and emotions of the people.’

On Sunday, June 27, he ordered Danial Mohammadi, the governor of Sistan and Baluchestan, to simultaneously pursue judicial investigations and ‘conduct a thorough and comprehensive review of the matter through the provincial Security Council, prepare a detailed report on its dimensions, and inform the public at the earliest possible time.’

On Friday, Maulavi Tayyab Malazahi, the Sunni Friday prayer leader of Iranshahr district, announced in his Eid al-Fitr prayer sermons about the ‘assault against 41 girls’ in this district and the arrest of one of the suspects.

However, the judicial authorities of Sistan and Baluchestan rejected his statements regarding the details of these assaults and spoke only of ‘assault against three girls.’

Meanwhile, Ali Mohedin-Rad, the prosecutor of Zahedan, said on Sunday that currently three people have filed complaints ‘under the heading of kidnapping and violent assault,’ stating that ‘one of them was assaulted in December of last year, another in April, and another in June.’

According to Mr. Mohedin-Rad, out of these three people, ‘only one person agreed to undergo medical examinations at the forensic medicine office.’

He said that the suspects are four people, and one of them has been detained.

Ebrahim Hamidi, the chief justice of Sistan and Baluchestan, also stated that the statements made by the Sunni Friday prayer leader of Iranshahr regarding the details of this incident ‘are not verified.’

He added: ‘It is possible that some of these individuals previously had relations with each other which later turned into disputes and led to complaints, and it is possible that some cases may involve violent assault, and these matters must be investigated.’

Some residents of Iranshahr gathered on Sunday in front of the city’s administrative office and called for the investigation of this case.

Nabi Bakhsh Davudi, the governor of Iranshahr, attended the gathering of protesters and discussed the matter with them, announcing a ‘special follow-up’ on this issue.

On June 30, reports were also published about the assault of a five-year-old Afghan girl named Bahareh, a resident of Khomeini Shahr in Isfahan, and several days later, the head of the Forensic Medicine Organization announced that the assault allegation against her had been confirmed.

However, Mohammad Javad Abatahi, the representative of this district, expressed doubt about the assault against this girl and stated that her bleeding might have been due to the insertion of a ‘Pepsi bottle.’

These remarks by Mr. Abatahi led to widespread protests on social media.

Source: Radio Farda