Protests Continue in Iran; Demonstrations in Alighudarz and Shahinshahr
Protests against water shortages in Khuzestan that began last week entered their eighth night and continued in other provinces. Images published on social media indicate protests in Alighudarz, Lorestan, and Shahinshahr, Isfahan province.
Reports and images published on social media indicate the continuation of protests in Iran.
Protests against water and electricity shortages and the transfer of Khuzestan’s water to other regions, which began last week in Khuzestan province, entered their eighth night on Thursday, July 31 (July 22) and spread to neighboring provinces.
In video images, protesters can be seen blocking several streets in Alighudarz, Lorestan province, by setting fires to car tires.
According to published reports, clashes occurred between demonstrators in Alighudarz, Lorestan province, and security forces, with some wounded as a result of officers firing at protesters.
Some unconfirmed reports indicate that a young person was killed in protest gatherings in Alighudarz.
In one of the video images said to be related to Thursday night events in Alighudarz, the bloodied body of a young person can be seen.
In other videos, family members of one of the wounded can be seen gathering in front of a hospital in Alighudarz.
According to reports and video images published on social media, a gathering was also held in Shahinshahr, Isfahan, in support of the Khuzestan protests. In these videos, slogans such as “Hayhat min al-dhillah” can be heard.
Reports have also been published on social media regarding protest gatherings in Bandar Ganaveh and Borazjan in Bushehr province.
The Iranian news agency IRNA has reported protests in several cities in Khuzestan province in recent days and the “strong presence” of security forces in the cities of Shadegan, Mahshahr, Izeh, Dasht Azadegan, and some areas of Ahvaz.
Communication regarding the protests has become difficult due to internet disruption, and activists fear that the government will resort to news blackout to suppress the protests, as occurred in November 2019 (solar year 1398).
NetBlocks, an organization monitoring global internet traffic, has also confirmed that it has evidence of regional internet disruptions in mobile internet services in Iran from one week ago.
The company attributed the internet disruption to the outbreak of public protests in Khuzestan.
Source: DW
