Iran: Increasing Concern About the Reports on Possible Mass Execution in Ahwaz

Two different sources have reported to Iran Human Rights (IHR) that several Ahwazi Arab activists were executed on Thursday, November 8, at one of the prisons in the Iranian city of Ahvaz (Ahwaz).

One of the sources said: “In the aftermath of the September attack to a military parade in Ahvaz, Iranian Ministry of intelligence announced that 22 people were arrested for alleged connection to the incident. It seems that authorities executed all of them on Thursday. Today [Sunday, November 11] they told the prisoners’ families that the executions were carried out. They (authorities) warned the families against public mourning.”

Of note, a military parade was attacked by armed gunmen in the southwestern Iranian city of Ahvaz on 22 September 2018. Iranian security forces arrested 22 people for alleged connection with the attackers.

IHR sources believe that the executions were carried out at Sheyban Prison in Ahwaz.

According to a source, Mohammad Momeni Timas, Nesar Momeni, Ahmad Heydari, and Hatam Savari are among those executed. IHR is currently investigating the execution reports through several independent sources.

The Islamic Republic authorities have previously carried out executions as a retaliation as a response to terrorist attacks. In October 2013, 16 Baluchi prisoners were hanged in Zahedan Prison in retaliation for the deaths of at least 14 border guards in an ambush.