According to The Ahwaz Human Rights organization (AHRO) sources reported that the Iranian security forces and the revolutionary guards continue their unprecedented wave of arrests against young Arabs in Ahwaz and other Arab cities, with the number of arrests reaching 800 people including five women, civil society activists and regular citizens.

The names of the women detained are: Amena Thahiri Sari (23), Nassima Sawari (65), Lamia Hamadi (21), Zawdiya Afrawi (55), and Qaisiya Afrawi (60).

The arrests happened in a number of cities including Ahwaz, Muhammarah, Abadan, Khafajiyah, and Shush.

The Alawi neighborhood in Ahwaz city is being completely besieged by police and security forces since Thursday evening, as reported by local activists.

The wave of arrests started following an armed attack on the military parade that happened in Ahwaz on Sep 22, according to the statement, despite the security authorities announcing the arrest of 22 locals accused of being connected to the attackers whose actions were claimed by ISIS.

The Iranian authorities as in the past exploited similar attacks in order to militarize the region and start a new campaign of suppression , which includes executions, and arrest of political and peaceful cultural activists to eliminate the occasional demonstrations against the government's discriminatory policies and racism against the Arab people.

The Ahwaz Human Rights Organisation (AHRO) while reaffirming its condemnation of all forms of violence and terrorism, reiterates its firm position of principle of peaceful and democratic activity, strongly condemns the systematic state terrorism practiced by the Iranian government against the Ahwazi people and all peoples in Iran.

AHRO calls on the international community, organizations and bodies, especially those under the umbrella of the United Nations, to condemn these arrests and to exert all their humanitarian efforts to stop these mass arrests and violations of human rights and to prevent the Islamic Republic of Iran from succeeding in its plans to eliminate the voices calling for social justice.

Ahwaz Human Rights Organisation (AHRO)

10 Nov 2018