Thousands of Iranians protested in the restive southeast yesterday to mark a September 30 crackdown by security forces known as ‘Bloody Friday’ as the country’s clerical rulers battled persistent nationwide unrest.
Amnesty International said security forces unlawfully killed at least 66 people in September after firing at protesters in Zahedan, capital of flashpoint Sistan-Baluchistan province. Authorities said dissidents had provoked the clashes.
A video posted by the widely followed 1500 Tasvir activist Twitter account purported to show thousands marching again in Zahedan yesterday. Reuters could not verify the authenticity of the footage.
Another video which 1500 Tasvir said was from the town of Khash in the southeast showed protesters trampling and breaking a street sign carrying the name of top general Qassem Soleimani, who was assassinated in a US drone attack in 2020 in Iraq.
Popular anger ahead of the Sept. 30 shooting was fuelled by allegations of the rape of a local teenage girl by a police officer. Authorities have said the case is being investigated.
Anti-government demonstrations also started erupting that month after the death of a Kurdish woman, Mahsa Amini, who had been detained by morality police for allegedly flouting the Islamic Republic’s strict dress code imposed on women.
Nationwide demonstrations have since turned into a popular revolt, with people ranging from students to doctors, lawyers, workers and athletes taking part, with fury directed mostly at Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
A group of countries led by Germany and Iceland requested a debate on the “deteriorating” situation in Iran at the UN top human rights body later this month, a document showed.
The government, which has blamed Amini’s death on preexisting medical problems, has said the protests are fomented by Iran’s foreign enemies including the United States, and has vowed to reestablish order.