Human rights groups report that a number of Iranian-Arab political prisoners have been secretly hanged en masse in Khuzestan.
A human rights activist who spoke on condition of anonymity told the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) that on Monday, Abbas Heydarian, Jamshid Heydarian and Abdolrahman Heydarian, were transferred from Karoon Prison to an unknown location and were executed.
The report indicated that the families of the prisoners were contacted and informed about the fate of their kin.
The three executed prisoners were arrested last year together with Ali Naami and Amir Moavi during political protests. They were sentenced to death for the charge of “enmity against God.”
The HRANA report indicates that no information is available regarding the other two prisoners, and they too might be in imminent danger of execution. However, following the publication of this news by HRANA, Arab human rights activists in Khuzestan reported that Ali Naami has also been executed.
Reports also indicate there were protests in Ahwaz yesterday in reaction to the news of these hangings. Protesters condemned the executions and called for an end to them.
The Mollashieh neighbourhood where the hanged prisoners resided is reportedly under strict security patrol, and so far the bodies of the prisoners have not been relinquished to their families for funeral preparations.
The authorities had accused the five prisoners of murdering a security officer, which was denied by their families, who said the prisoners had been forced under torture to incriminate themselves in the murder.
Last year, Ahwaz witnessed peaceful demonstrations in protest against the Arab community’s unfavourable situation in the Southwestern Province of Khuzestan.
