Protests Continue in Sistan and Baluchestan; Amnesty International Reacts to ‘Direct Fire’ on Fuel Smugglers
As protests continue over the killing of fuel smugglers by direct fire from military and security forces in Sistan and Baluchestan, Amnesty International has responded to the massacre of impoverished Baluch fuel smugglers in Sistan and Baluchestan, similar to other human rights organizations and the Sunni Friday prayer leader of Zahedan.
Amnesty International announced through a post on its Twitter account that concerning videos and reports from inside Iran have been received showing that Iranian security forces shot and killed a number of fuel smugglers in Sistan and Baluchestan province on Monday, March 25th (Esfand 4th).
The human rights organization further stated that it is investigating the circumstances surrounding this incident.
Although precise figures of victims and possible casualties are not available, some accounts indicate that at least 17 people have lost their lives in these clashes. Voice of America cannot independently verify these reports.
However, some videos circulated on social networks indicate direct fire from security forces from atop the roof of a police station in Zahedan.
On the other hand, accounts received by Voice of America and circulated on social networks in recent days indicate severe disruptions and slowdowns, or internet cuts in some areas of this province, raising concerns about severe suppression of protesters.
It is reported that these protests began after a group of fuel smugglers were killed and wounded by direct fire from Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps forces at the zero border point “Askan” in Saravan county of Sistan and Baluchestan.
Baluch activists’ campaign had previously reported that the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps blocked and dug large holes at zero border points to prevent Baluch fuel smugglers from passing, and this led to the gathering of a number of fuel smugglers in front of the Guards base and firing by Guards forces at the protesters.
Maulana Abdulhamid, the Sunni Friday prayer leader of Zahedan, once again, with regard to the Monday incident in the Saravan border region, issued a statement “calling for an impartial and fair investigation” of recent events in Sistan and Baluchestan and asked provincial officials to “consider all aspects in their statements so as not to wound the feelings of the suffering people.”
This Sunni cleric, considering the problem of unemployment and livelihood of some people through fuel smuggling in Sistan and Baluchestan province, while requesting that this income-generating path not be closed for fuel smugglers, emphasized: “The perpetrators of the shooting incident against fuel smugglers must face legal punishment and damages must be compensated.”
According to reports from Baluch civil and human rights activists, dozens of young Baluch fuel smugglers, goods smugglers, and cross-border passenger transporters are killed or wounded annually as a result of direct fire from military and police forces of the Islamic Republic.
Source: Voice of America
