HRANA News Agency – In the wake of the arrest of Arab citizens from Ahwaz, five others were arrested by security agencies. These individuals whose number has reached to more than 10 people, are all accused of participation in protests against various issues, including discrimination in employment, conflict in the village of Jalizi, pumping away Karoon’s water and the drying of wetlands and rivers.
According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), arresting and summoning protesters in Ahwaz have been increasing since December 8, 2017 as the result of protests against the region’s problems, including discrimination in employment, drying up of wetlands and the conflict in the village of Jalizi.
HRANA had reported the arrest of five people named Hassan Betrani, Younes Sarkhi, Valid Savari, Mohammad Zahraw obeidavi and Isa Zayri on December 22, 2017. The identity of five other Arabs from Ahvaz who were arrested are as the following:
1- Abdullah Karim Chaldawi, resident of Ahvaz, arrested at midnight on December 17, 2017.
2- Jafar Karim Chaldawi, resident of Ahvaz, arrested along with his brother, Abdullah at midnight on December 17, 2017.
3- Saleh Tamluie Tarafi, 36, resident of Ahvaz, arrested by forces associated with Abolfazl Abbas headquarters on December 20. Mr. Tamluie has already experienced 3 years in prison because of his political activities.
4- Ali Zargani, 30, resident of Ahvaz, arrested at midnight on December 19, 2017.
5- Adnan Savari, resident of Ahvaz, arrested by forces associated with Abolfazl Abbas headquarters in Farhani Street on December 20.
Informed sources told HRANA’s reporter that “Abolfazl Abbas security headquarters has arrested dozens of Arab activists due to popular protests and slogans in Ahwaz and other cities and a large reflection of news in foreign media.”
According to the activists, the videos of the series of protests in Ahvaz on December 8 and December 15 have been released in various Arabic media, in which clearly the participants in the protests can be clearly identified. This probably affected their identification and detention.”
It should be noted that in addition to the individuals mentioned in this report, several other Arab citizens from the southern provinces of Khuzestan, including Khadijeh Nisi, Nader Reyhani and Ahmad Sa’labi Hasani were arrested in non-related cases. Khadijeh Nisi and Ahmad Sa’labi Hasani have been released on bail.
On the other hand 62 political and civil activists protested against the arrests and demanded the end of these arrests by releasing a statement on December 22, 2017.
These activists stated at the end of the statement: “We would call cultural, political, and social activists to protest strongly against national, ethnic, and racial discrimination and protest against the pressure on Arab cultural and civil activists and their massive arrest.”