50 Detained In Zahedan Friday Protests, 13 Children

A scene from the protests in the southeastern city of Zahedan on October 20, 2023
A scene from the protests in the southeastern city of Zahedan on October 20, 2023

Fifty people have been arrested during the Friday protests in the volatile city of Zahedan, including 13 children.

US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) shared videos on social media showing the presence of special guard forces around the Makki Mosque and the use of significant force during the arrests of numerous citizens in the city.

In response to the recent crackdown on protesters, Fazl ul-Rahman Kouhi, the Friday prayer Imam of Pashamag village in Sarbaz County, Sistan and Baluchestan, stated that "the attack of military forces on the worshipers in Zahedan is no less oppressive than the actions of Israel against the people of Palestine."

Notably, Kouhi himself had been detained in 2019, and Sunni clergymen in Baluchestan are currently facing pressure from the Iranian regime.

In the images from the protests on Friday, participants chanted slogans such as "Neither Gaza nor Lebanon, My Life for Iran" and "From Zahedan to Gaza, the Whole World is Shaking."

Recent reports indicate an escalation in pressure on Sunni and Baluch clerics to discourage the Friday protests in various cities within the province. Nevertheless, the weekly protests by Zahedan residents persist.