Iran: Many people died as a crackdown on protests continue
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Raven Ruma
- . November 26, 2022
- . Update: November 26, 2022 3:46 pm
Dozens of people died and were wounded when Iranian security forces opened fire on protests after Friday prayers in Sistan-Baluchistan province, according to human rights activists.
The Islamic Republic of Iran has intensified a crackdown on protests in recent days. Campaigners also called for nationwide demonstrations this week in the Sistan-Baluchistan province.
On Friday, protesters from the Sistan-Baluchistan capital Zahedan chanted, “Kurdistan, Kurdistan, we will support you.” The video of the protests was shared on Twitter. In another video, they were heard chanting, “Kurds and Baluchs are brothers, thirsting for the leader’s blood.” They were referring to the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei.
Subsequently, activists said that the security forces had opened fire on protesters in Zahedan. The London-based Baloch Activists Campaign said that dozens of protesters were killed and injured.
Read | Iran under a “full fledged” humanitarian crisis, warns UN rights chief
Protests also took place in Iranshahr, Khash and Saravan. Norway-based group Iran Human Rights (IHR) also said that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) used heavy machine guns to suppress protesters.
Friday’s protests came a day after the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) demanded an investigation into Iran’s crackdown on protesters. UNHRC demanded the Iranian security forces stop the violence.
Recently, reports of sexual violence against human rights activists and women in prisons began to surface on social media. According to testimony from multiple victims, activists and human rights groups, security forces have raped and sexually assaulted multiple women during protests.
Massive protests erupted in the country after the death of a 22-year-old woman Mahsa Amini on September 16. She was arrested by Iranian security forces in Tehran on September 13 for allegedly wearing a loose hijab. They took her to the detention centre. She died three days later at a hospital in Tehran. Many people took to the streets to demand justice for her and end the Iranian regime.
