Untold Stories of Nasirabad- Interview with Mohammad Omar Mollazehi

HRANA News Agency – Nasirabad is one of the villages in the county of sarbaz located in the province of Sistan & Balouchestan (Rusk as its capital). This village become centre of attention of Human Rights Organisations after security forces raided the village and arrested 30 locals on 4:00 am, 04 January 2015.
Those arrested are from a wide range, from religious authorities to students and pupils. But what is the reason behind these arrests?

According to the reports sent to HRANA (Human Rights Activists News Agency in Iran), these arrests took place after a local Basiji militia named ” Adham Sabouri” and an outsider teacher named ” Isa Shahraki” were assassinated. Although after couple of months from the incidents, none of the armed groups in the region claimed the responsibility for the assassinations, Iranian security officials held “Jaish-al-Adl” and “Jaish-al-Nasr” responsible for it. However, questions are endless with regards to this.

HRANA intends to investigate and evaluate the situation and while creating a foundation to track the status of detainees at Nasirabad, also find answers to many uncertainties.

 

What follows is the first interview of a series report made by Alireza Sarbazi on this issue which has been conducted with Mohammad Omar Mollazehi- a local at this village with good knowledge on the case.

The full text of this conversation exactly as follows:

 

HRANA: Mr Moallazehi, I am calling on behalf of HRANA News Agency. Please explain about the overall incident took place on 04 January in Nasirabad in Sistan & Balouchestan and arrests made on the assassination of Moulavi Jangi Zehi grounds.

Mohammad Omar Molazehi: here is the whole story; on 31 December 2014, a dear teacher called “Isa Shahraki” and a local Basiji militia called “Adham Sabouri” assassinated. 4 days later and on Saturday 4 January 2015 security forces raided the houses of Nasirabad villagers, shattered the windows and doors and disrespected the women and children. According to some reports they took the blanket off a young married couple who were asleep and arrested them after beating them. Personal belongings including PC and cell phone have been confiscated. My PC and my wife’s cell phone are also taken. In addition, 4 vehicles were taken along with 33 residents. After several days the news received that the detainees confessed to the assassination of “Mostafa Moulavi Jangzehi”. However, as you know after the death of “Mostafa Moulavi Jangzehi”, “Moulavi Fathi Mohammad Naghshbandi” and his son “Abdulghaffar Naghshbandi” and several members of the “Abadian” family confessed to his assassination on national TV.  The odd part is that this case was announced as closed and even imprisonment and death sentences  has been given to  those arrested. But now it has been said that 3 detainees confessed to “Mostafa Moulavi Jangzehi” along with “Adahm Sabouri” ( Basiji militia) and “Isa Shahraki” ( the teacher) assassinations and in fact all unsafety in the province  has been connected to these detainees.

HRANA: my next question is that what your opinion is on the motives behind the assassination of individuals like “Isa Shahraki”, “Mohammad Eslami” and “Javad Nourozi” regardless of the identity of murders?

Mohammad Omar Molazehi: in my opinion these were political murders. Only locals are losing from these terrors. But those who attempt to portray an unsafe image of the province and try to overtake the security of the province and receive special economical bonuses for it should be held responsible. Mr “Shahraki” and “Eslami” lived at Nasirabad because they liked the behaviour of the local residents and had good ties with them, otherwise they could have lived at other villages close to their work.  Nasirabad residents even invited them to socialise with as their family and Nasirabad patients who were going to Zahedan for medical treatments were received at the mentioned individuals’ houses.  If there was a marriage ceremony, residents at Nasirabad had been invited and in return these teachers who were living in Nasirabad have been invited to their ceremonies. Overall, there have been friendly and close relationships between the residents and these teachers.

HRANA: were all the detainees from Nasirabad or people from other places have been arrested on the day as well?

Mohammad Omar Molazehi: from Nasirabad and from the neighbouring village, Aliabad, this is about a kilometre away from Nasirabad. Nasirabad located in central location and usually is in the centre of events. The mentioned martyred teacher was living at Jalalabad a village which is half a kilometres away from Nasirabad where he was assassinated.

HRANA: it was also in the news that some of the detainees of 4 January were employees of government, would you confirm this news?

Mohammad Omar Molazehi: yes, many of them such as  “ Sadigh Bahram Zehi” , “Davood Bahram Zehi”( member of rescue unit) and “Abdulsattar Bahram Zehi” who is the head of Nasirabad Red Crescent base and is also an employee of  Water Supply of the province and is in charge of Nasirabad Water Network.  There are even students, pupils, and driver, shop owners, etc among the detainees.

HRANA: was any of the detainees from Nasirabad has been accused of the murder of “ Mohammadreza Sayadi” ( employee of Sarbaz NOCR ) or charges were only related to the assassination of “ Moulavi Jangi Zehi”?

Mohammad Omar Molazehi: based on what news agencies said so far, they have also confessed to the killing of Mr Sayadi as well. About 90% on all unsafety in the province have been alleged to the detainees from Nasirabad. Although yesterday (Tuesday 3 January) Khash became  unsafe and  after the  attacks on Traffic Police , one person got killed and two others have been wounded  whereas the detainees from Nasirabad couldn’t have been responsible for this incident. The question is who has done these?

HRANA:do you believe the raid on Nasirabad has been done by Police (NAJA) or Sepah (Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution) forces?

Mohammad Omar Molazehi: I believe the recent arrests were made by Intelligence Services and Sepah. The reason behind it is that Intelligence Services is not able to identify the real assassins. Because of this and to illustrate its empty power, they have arrested 30 innocent individuals.

HRANA: my other question is that for how long you believe you and your family should stay away from your home and your land? What is your prospect on this?

Mohammad Omar Molazehi: This depends on how our detainees are being treated. We have to see if the situation improves or worsens. Is the government trying to achieve what they have planned from this incident?  Imagine the sentence given to “Moulavi Naghshbandi” gets broken after 2 years of imprisonment. This would mean that the confessions he made on national TV were taken under the pressure and torture and detainee residents of Nasirabad are also forced to confess to what they have never done. You are aware how Intelligence Services and torture works (in our country).  We had to leave our homes and land and leave behind our wives and children; we are on the run and uncertain of what we can do.

HRANA: My final question is that whether you accept the accusations of causing insecurity with separating intentions? How do you evaluate Balouch Activists news coverage?

Mohammad Omar Molazehi: I refuse to accept that Balouchs are separatists. Balouchs want to live in harmony with their Fars, Kurds and Lors neighbours. Hence I don’t believe these accusations. With regards to the news coverage by the Balouch Civil Activists I have to say that news is not covered adequately by them. In 2007 while security forces raided Nasirabad, people resisted and refused to admit them into their homes and asked them for search warrants.  In response, security forces opened fire on the residents and wounded 4 individuals. These were “Khalil Alrahman Bahram Zehi”, “Majib Radmehr”, “Abdulhalim Vatankhah”and “Abdulbaset Vatankhah” and the first one was in critical health condition. We transferred these people to hospital and the 4th one got transferred from hospital to Zahedan Prison directly.  After the shooting took place, people attacked police vehicles with stones and forced the officers to leave their vehicles and flee from the scene. Later on, officers manage to get their vehicles and equipment and after a well-respected individual named “Doust Mohammad Raeesi” intervened and asked people to leave. The day after, security forces returned to Nasirabad and arrested anyone and anything moved in the village and took them away. Among the detainees Mr “Ayoub Bahram Zehi” was among the ones who were executed. Those executed because Zahedan Public Prosecutor wanted to take revenge and you have not heard this news until now.

HRANA: Thanks for giving us your time.

Mohammad Omar Molazehi: I thank you as well for your follow up on Human Rights issues and goodbye.

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