Jul 22, 2009

West Balochistan: Appeal to Stop Hanging of Baloch in Iran


Active ImageThe Balochistan Party urges Iranians to stop the hanging of three more Baloch people.

 

 

Below is a statement by Balochistan Peoples Party:

In the aftermath of the presidential election 19 Baloch prisoners have been executed after short trials in closed-door court rooms without having access to defence lawyers.

Three people were hanged on Sunday 31st of May [2009] three days after an explosion in Zahidan, the provincial capital of Balochistan, Iran. Their alleged charges were of planning the attack and carrying out the explosion in the “Hosseiniye” adjacent to “Amirulmumeneen Mosque”.

We have already disclosed these unjust killings in a communiqué part of which is replicated here. The following is quoted from BBC’s Persian language service:

“Iranian Official News Agency (IRNA) has quoted a judge, whose name has not been disclosed, saying that the executed were not involved directly in the explosion but they had been arrested two days before the explosion occurred. However, the accused were interrogated and trialled the night between the 30th and 31st of May, and were executed immediately after being charged for facilitating the explosion”.

This rapid trial shows the unjust treatment of the Baloch people by the Islamic Republic of Iran.
After this announcement, IRNA quoted Ebrahim Hamidi, chief justice of Sistan and Balochistan: that 13 people were under trial charged for drug smuggling, hostage taking and rebellion against the government. It specifically mentioned Mr Abdul Hameed Rigi who has been tortured to confess to have committed different kinds of crimes ranging from having had contact with Western countries to manslaughter and hostage-taking. His confessions were shown on the state run TV. For the second it was annoyed that he would be trialled and executed.

On 14th of July, 13 of them were hanged in the prison in Zahidan and the regime announced that Mr Abdul Hameed Rigi will also be executed later within some days.
Twenty people were hanged in Rajai Prison in Karaj city on 2nd June 2009. According to Radio Balochi FM, three of them named Jamshed Khaleghdadi son of Gholam Mohammad, Najibullah Dardkashedeh Son of Mullah Safar and Khudabaksh Rigi were Baloch.

According to “Hamoun” TV, local government TV station in Balochistan, two persons were hanged in central jail of Zahedan on 20th June. They were charged for drug smuggling and were trialled in closed court sessions without having access to defence lawyers. Furthermore, their names were not announced as it is usual in cases where the victims are political prisoners but have been trialled as criminals.

On 18th of July Ebrahim Hamidi, Chief Justice cleric of Sistan and Balochistan announced that two people were under trial and would be executed on charges of being members of Jundullah. He further said that they will be executed together with Abdul Hameed Rigit.

For the third time the regime has announced that Mr Abdul Hameed Rigi, either has been executed or will be executed. The Iranian government is playing with a man’s life and putting his family in constant disarray and agony. This act shows the unlimited desire of hatred of the Iranian government towards the Baloch people.  

These executions are indications of the discriminating and, possibly a racism-like policy of Iranian government in Balochistan. We believe that Islamic Republic of Iran is committing serious crimes against the Baloch people that are equal to crimes against humanity. We therefore appeal to the international community and the human rights organizations to urge the government of Iran to:

-Stop discrimination and racism-like treatment of the Baloch people,
-Hold open trials with access to defense lawyers for prisoners.
-Stop taking forced confessions under inhumane tortures. Notably, Mr Abdul Hameed Rigi has been shown on TV confessing to have committed crimes such as man slaughter, hostage taking, rebellion against the state and connections with western countries such as USA and the UK.
-Free all political prisoners in Balochistan and else where in Iran.
-Hold responsible the leaders of Islamic Republic for committing crimes against the Baloch which is also equal to crimes against humanity.
-To investigate the crimes of the leaders of Islamic Republic in a The Hague International court.