The following is a statement published by the
Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation
(UNPO) regarding the continuing state killings of Ahwazi Arabs.
The South-western governor-general of Khuzestan has announced publicly that the ongoing Ahwazi executions will continue. Twenty one detainees face imminent execution by aggressive Iranian security force aimed at targeting the Ahwazi-Arabs.
UNPO is deeply concerned at current developments in Iran, specifically concerning the indigenous Ahwazi Arab people. Last week, the south-western provincial Governor-General of Khuzestan (Al-Ahwaz) - General Amir Hayat-Moqaddam, reportedly told the Iranian News Agency (IRNA) that the executions of Ahwaz-Arabs would continue after the government has issued more than eight executions over the past two months. Taking all events into account it would indicate that the Iranian repressive regime is undertaking a new wave of arbitrary executions targeting political and human rights activists of the indigenous Ahwazi Arab nation in Iran.
According to our information, on 01 June 2006, the Revolutionary Court's 3rd Branch in the city of Ahwaz sentenced eleven political activists to death. Two days later, Iraj Amirkhani, Ahwaz Prosecutor General reportedly announced over public radio that twenty five people have been arrested and are also to be sentenced to death. This currently brings the total to thirty six Ahwazis recently arrested since this critical announcement.
Since April 2005, over 25,000 Ahwazis have been detained and an approximate 130 executed so far. To date, over 150 individuals have disappeared and are believed to have been held, tortured and then executed by the Iranian security forces. The Ahwazi-Arabs have faced confiscation of their farm lands, forced displacement and have suffered sustained human rights violations. The scale and continuation of repression against the Ahwazis demands urgent international attention and address by the United Nations (UN) and bodies mandated to the uphold respect for human rights worldwide.
Based on the above facts, UNPO has appealed to Mr. Philip Alston, Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions to:
1) urgently request the individuals facing threat of immediate execution to be granted due legal proceedings and/or be released;
2) urgently alert the United Nation's Secretary General, Kofi Annan, to the current situation in Iran regarding the ongoing arbitrary executions of the Ahwazi peoples;
3) urge Iran to respect and uphold its obligations under International Humanitarian law and to end practices of unlawful arbitrary detention and execution; especially in executions towards minors, and;
4) put renewed pressure on Iran to end its acts of repression against the Ahwazi Arab peoples in Khuzestan.
Links
Six of sixteen Ahwazis on trial face execution - 4 June 2006
Ahwazis face arrest, deportation and execution - 1 June
Amnesty International: Eleven Ahwazis Face Execution - 17 May
Iran prepares for new round of executions in Ahwaz - 13 May
Executed: Young Men Hung by Iranian Tyrants - 2 March
Iran prepares to execute tribal family - 19 February
Iran sentences seven over Ahwaz bombings - 15 February
Iran increases repression in Ahwaz - 8 February
Ahwaz Bombings Come After Weeks of Unrest - 24 January
Labels: death penalty
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keywords: ahvaz ahwaz ahwazi arabistan khuzestan khuzistan khuzestani arab arabistan iran iranian human rights security oil news ahmadinejad ethnic cleansing
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