Today, the cities of Susangard, Behbahan, Abadan, Izeh, Ahvaz, Khorramshahr, Ramhormoz, and Shadegan, staged protest rallies that were confronted by military forces with arrests, tear gas, and bullets.
Widespread protests started in Khuzestan province on the night of Thursday, July 15, in response to the resource mismanagement that has led to the water crisis. Protests have been going for the past seven days and have spread to at least 22 cities.
According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, at least four civilians and one police officer have been confirmed as killed since the start of the protests. HRANA was able to verify the identities of those killed since Thursday as Meysam Echresh from Taleghani in Mahshahr, Mostafa Naeemawi from Shadegan, Ghasem Naseri from Kut Abdollah, and officer Zargham Parast in Mahshahr. According to local sources, a number of additional citizens have been injured during the protests as well.
Disconnections and a severe decrease in Internet speed in some cities of Khuzestan province have been reported on social media. Previously, a resident of Ahvaz told HRANA that the internet of all carriers is disconnected, and people cannot access the internet through phones.
Received videos show the presence of a large number of military forces around Azadi Square in Tehran and the security atmosphere for facing possible protests.
The scope of the violence against the protesting people of Khuzestan have elicited reactions from numerous different sections of society. In a statement, the Tehran Teachers’ Union condemned the suppression of the Khuzestan protests and blamed the government for the resource problems. 330 artists gave a statement which condemned the suppression of protests and expressed solidarity with the protesters.
Several film and television artists gathered in front of the Artists’ House to show their support. The players of the Abadan Oil Industry soccer team, the Iranian Writers Association, and the Iranian Cinema House all issued statements in support of the protesters, and calling on the relevant authorities to address the situation.
Today, videos broadcasted on social networks show people marching in Yazdanshahr in Isfahan in support of the people of Khuzestan. Also, people in Masjed Soleyman, Ramshir, Shahrui village of Behbahan, and Ahvaz in Khuzestan marched and held protest rallies.
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Read our fact sheet for more info on what is going on in Khuzestan. For media interviews, contact Skylar Thompson at [email protected].
The Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) confirmed that a citizen was killed during last night’s protests in Izeh, Khuzestan.
According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Actiists, the IRIB report did not specify the identity of the killed citizen. However, it described his death as a result of a “suspicious” shooting—notably vague phrasing, considering that the overwhelming majority of gunfire throughout the protests has come from government forces.
Widespread protest rallies in Khuzestan started Thursday, July 15, in response to the negligence of officials that led to frequent cuts of drinking water and the drying of Karun River.
The demonstrations against the water cuts and lack of proper resource management continued yesterday into their sixth day. Rallies were held in Susangard, Behbahan, Abadan, Izeh, Ahvaz, Khorramshahr and Shadegan.
Hassan Nabovati, acting governor of Izeh, stated that one police officer was killed and another injured during the protests in Mahshahr last night.
As released videos show, the protests in Izeh were disrupted by violence from military forces. There were reports of military officers spraying tear gas and opening fire at protesters.
Today, July 20, the widespread protests in Khuzestan over the ongoing water crisis continued for a sixth consecutive day. Since the start of the protests on Thursday, provincial authorities have confirmed that at least two civilians have been killed by military forces.
According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, today’s protests took place in the cities of Izeh, Khorramshahr, Ahvaz, Shadegan, Abadan, Susangard, and Behbahan. HRANA received reports of shootings and internet shutdowns in some areas, as well as a report of the death of a protester, but neither have been confirmed as of this writing.
Today a number of prominent civil activists also gathered in Tehran to voice their support for the protesters in Khuzestan, and were met with violence from security forces. Activists Narges Mohammadi, Arash Sadeghi, Arash Kaykhosravi, Ruhollah Mardani, Jafar Azimzadeh, Rasoul Bodaghi, Pooran Nazemi, Hamid Asefi, and Behzad Homayouni were arrested by security forces in Tehran and taken to an unknown location.
Below is our updated map of the protests of the last five days.
Today, July 19, the widespread protests in Khuzestan over the mismanagement of officials regarding the ongoing water crisis continued for a fifth consecutive day. Since the start of the protests on Thursday, provincial authorities have confirmed that at least two civilians have been killed by military forces.
According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, today’s rallies in Khuzestan took place in Hamidiyeh, Ahvaz, Kut Abdullah, Susangard, Ramhormoz, Mahshahr, Khorramshahr, Veys, and Chamranhere. There were no reports of violence or shootings by government forces except a report from Chamran city, which seems to be aerial shooting.
The weekend’s demonstrations also saw heavy escalation. As shown in videos previously published by HRANA, the Susangard protests were responded to with violence from on-duty military forces this Sunday. In multiple areas police opened fire on unarmed protesters.
The protestors blocked the roads connecting Ahvaz to Khorramshahr and Ahvaz to Shush by lighting fires. There have also reportedly been sporadic internet outages across the province.
Since the second day of the protests, provincial officials have confirmed that two citizens, 30-year-old Mostafa Naeemawi from Shadegan, and 17-year-old Ghasem Naseri (Khaziri) from the Kut Abdollah area of Ahvaz, were killed during the protests. HRANA has received reports, which have yet to be verified, of a third civilian additionally being shot dead by military forces.
Previously, the governor of Khuzestan said, “The published videos of the protests in the province are fake and no protest has taken place.”
“Some seek to provoke the people and publish fake images of the protests in cyberspace,” the governor further stated. “For example, nothing has happened in the cities of Khorramshahr and Susangard, but clips related to the past events are published in cyberspace!”
Public rallies to protest the water cuts and lack of access to drinking water began on the night of Thursday, July 15, and have spread to at least 17 cities so far.
During the last four days, people protested in at least 17 cities, including Shavur, Karkheh, Kut Seyed Naeem, Shush, Ahvaz, Abadan, Hamidiyeh, Bostan, Susangard, Bandar Mahshahr, Khorramshahr, Shadegan, Kut Abdollah, Mollasani, Hoveyzeh, and Abou Homeyzeh in Khuzestan Province and Mashhad. In some of the released videos, the sounds of gunfire can be heard, and a recurring theme across the footage is the heavy presence of armed military and security forces.
Local sources published reports, as of yet unverified, that several protesting citizens were injured and many others were detained in the city of Khorramshahr. So far, Abdolreza Soleimani, Darem Soleimani, Mansour Soleimani, Yarullah Soleimani and his son Ali Soleimani, all residents of Khorramshahr, are reportedly detained.
Workers at the Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Agro-Industry Company supported protests in Khuzestan during their rally and march on Sunday, July 18.
A resident of Ahvaz told HRANA about the situation in the city, “Special forces from other places are quickly (being) deployed to Ahvaz to suppress young protestors. Access to drinking water is one of the most basic civil rights. While Khuzestan was once considered the most water-rich province in the country, the mismanagement has led to the crisis of supply of drinking water in Khuzestan to become a serious challenge for people.”
Mahmoud Ahmadi Bighash, a representative of Shazand City in Parliament, said that providing water and development is an immediate responsibility of the entire government. Bighash wrote in a tweet:
“The situation in Khuzestan is concerning, I point it out indirectly, be very careful about what happened in Khuzestan; open all the [Karun River’s] water sources to quench Khuzestan’s thirst and put out the fire.”
Abdullah Izad Panah, Speaker of the House of Representatives of Khuzestan, also gave a statement in a recent meeting about crisis management in which he criticized the water transfer projects in the province.
“Water transfer projects should be stopped,” the representative said. “Drought is just one side of the issue. The transfer of water has caused Khuzestan to fall to this condition.”
Earlier, Jalil Mokhtar, the representative of Abadan, considered the problems caused by the transfer of water from Khuzestan province to other provinces, and mismanagement.
“Unfortunately, we have witnessed the water transfer from Khuzestan to other areas based on government approvals,” Mokhtar said. “Khuzestan, which was a fertile plain, is now on a desertification path.”
The Human Rights Defenders Association wrote an open letter to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights expressing concern about the suppression of protesters of the water crisis by security officials and calling for an end to the suppression.
“Khuzestan province, despite having rich oil resources, is among the most deprived provinces in Iran, and its residents are facing a high range unemployment, losing water sources, polluted air, and frequent power outages, so their protests are completely justified, and the response must not be bullets and imprisonment.”
Watch our compilation of video footage taken at various protests throughout the province.
Several young job seekers in the Ghal’e Chan’an in Koot-Abdollah city, a group of workers of Kaveh Float Glass in Saveh, a group of fired workers of Khuzestan Pipe Manufacturing Company, a group of Shiraz Telecommunication employees, workers of the transportation unit of South Zagros Oil and Gas Production Company in Shiraz, Agar and Delan, a group of Khorramshahr municipality workers, and a group of pest control workers of Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Agro-Industry Company all held labor protests on between Friday and Saturday.
A group of Khuzestan environmental activists, teachers of Green Score Letter, a number of farmers of Hamidiyeh city, and a group activists protesting the killing of Kurdish Kolbars (cross-border labors) also held rallies.
Job seekers in the Ghal’e Chan’an in Koot-Abdollah:
Protesters against the killing of Kolbars:
Employees of Kaveh Float Glass in Saveh:
Employees of Shiraz Telecommunication:
Workers on the transportation unit of South Zagros Oil and Gas in Shiraz:
Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Agro-Industry Co. workers:
Khuzestan environmental activists:
Teachers of Green Score Letter:
Fired workers of Khuzestan Pipe Company
Khorramshahr municipality workers:
Sunday July 4:
A group of Karnameh Sabz teachers (Teachers of Green Score Letter) protested for a seventh day and night in a row. Animal rights advocates in Qazvin, ranchers in Takab city in West Azerbaijan province, shareholders of the Rezvan Qom project, retirees in Khorramabad , Shush, and Ahvaz, a group of Shush farmers, a group of pest control workers of Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Company for several consecutive days, a number of school janitors and caretakers in different provinces, retirees of Khuzestan Steel Company in Khuzestan and Isfahan Steel Company in Isfahan provinces, staff of Qom Health Centers, young job seekers from the village of Maravneh in Ahvaz, workers of Khorramshahr municipal for the second day in a row, and taxi drivers in Zanjan all also held protest rallies this Sunday.
Animal rights advocates in Qazvin:
Ranchers in Takab:
Shareholders of the Rezvan Qom project:
Qom Health Center staff:
Retirees in Khorramabad, Shush, and Ahvaz:
Shush farmers:
Khorramshahr municipally workers:
Pest control workers of Haft Tappeh Sugarcane:
School janitors:
Retirees of Khuzestan Steel and Isfahan Steel Companies:
Teachers of Green Score Letter:
Young job seekers from the village of Maravneh in Ahvaz:
Taxi drivers in Zanjan:
Monday, July 5
Following the general strikes of contract workers of refineries, petrochemicals and power plants, contract workers of Jofeir refinery in Khuzestan province, people in some cities of Golestan province including Gonbad Kavous, Bandar-e-Gaz, Bandar-e-Turkmen and Aqqala and also Kazerun in Keshavarzan in Fars province gathered after frequent, long-lasting power outages. Farmers in Isfahan, shareholders and remitters of Azico Company, a group of pest control workers of Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Company for several consecutive days, a group of truck drivers from Rasht, a group of bakers in Qazvin, and a number of people with disabilities additionally organized demonstrations.
Protest of a of people in different cities with frequent, long-lasting power outages:
Kordkuy
Gonbad Kavus
Kazerun
Farmers in Isfahan:
Shareholders and remitters of Azico Company:
Pest control workers of Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Company:
Bakers in Qazvin:
Truck drivers in Rasht:
People with disabilities in Tehran:
Tuesday, July 6
Farmers in Ahvaz, a group of social security nurses in Tehran, kitchen workers in the Khark Offshore Oil Operation Area, employees in the Fars Region Telecommunication Company, a group of workers in the pest control department of Haft Tappeh Sugar Company for several consecutive days, a group of Retirees of Homa Airlines, Abadan bus contract workers, and contractors of the new city of Hashtgerd Metro all held protest rallies on Tuesday.
Ahvaz Farmers:
Social security nurses:
Kitchen workers in the Khark island Offshore:
Employees in the Fars Region Telecommunication Company:
Pest control workers of Haft Tappeh Sugar Company
Retirees of Homa Airline:
Abadan bus contract workers:
Staff contractors of Hashtgerd metro:
Wednesday, July 7
At least 4 rallies were held this Wednesday. Workers of Abadan Petrochemical, a group of third-party contract workers working in the South Pars Special Economic Zone, a group of Damghan cattle breeders, a group of railway maintenance workers in Azerbaijan all held protest rallies. Pest control workers from Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Cultivation also gathered for a twelfth for days in a row.
On Tuesday, June 22, Gharib Havizavi, a labor activist and recently-fired employee of the Khuzestan Steel Company, was arrested by security forces in Ahvaz and taken to an unknown location.
According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, the Khuzestan Steel Company security officer had blocked Mr. Havizavi from entering the building in April while he was still employed.
On June 12, in a hearing that was held at the Ahvaz Labor Office to process his appeal for returning to work, Havizavi was fired from the company by order of the employer’s legal representative.
Havizavi has a history of being summoned and detained by security forces. The report does not specify Havizavi’s location or the charges against him.
According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, a number of protests took place in different parts of the country this week. Below is a quick recap and footage from the demonstrations.
Saturday, June 12
On Saturday, June 12, a group of rice farmers in Khuzestan rallied in front of the governor’s office. In Tehran, retired drivers of the Tehran Bus Company gathered in front of the company’s headquarters. Contract workers of the maintenance unit for Tehran Metro Line 5 held a rally in front of Hashtgerd metro station, a group of shareholders of Cryptoland Exchange who lost money to the company rallied in front of the Economic Crimes Court building, and family members of SMA patients gathered in front of the Ministry of Health building.
Rice farmers in Khuzestan:
Retired bus drivers in Tehran:
Workers of the maintenance unit for Tehran Metro:
Shareholders of Cryptoland Exchange:
Sunday, June 13
On Sunday, June 13, a group of shopkeepers in Gachsaran in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province gathered in front of the governor’s office. A group of veterans who were injured during the Iran-Iraq war rallied in front of the Martyr Foundation building in Tehran, several drivers and workers of the Tehran Bus Company heled a rally in front of the city council building, and Cryptoland exchange shareholders gathered in front of the Economic Crimes court building again.
Shopkeepers in Gachsaran:
Injured Iraq-Iran war Veterans:
Bus drivers in Tehran:
Shareholders of Cryptoland Exchange:
Monday, June 14
On Monday, Several fishermen in Kharg city of Kharg Island gathered in front of the border checkpoint. A group of workers of Tehran Jonoob company protested in Mahshahr in Khuzestan Province. Landowners in the new city of Pardis, rice farmers in Khuzestan Province, and fired workers of Khuzestan Pipe Industrial Company also held rallies.
Fishermen in Kharg island:
Workers of Tehran Jonoob company in Mahshahr:
Landowners in the new city of Pardis:
Tuesday, June 15
A group of delivery motorcyclists in Laleh Park in Tehran, and a group of families of Bafgh phosphate mine workers in the conference hall of Ahanshahr town held protest rallies.
Delivery motorcyclist in Laleh Park in Tehran:
Wednesday, June 16
The staff of Telecommunication Company of Khuzestan in the cities of Shushtar, Masjed Soleiman, and Ahvaz gathered in front of their cities’ Telecommunication Offices. Shareholders of the “Mashhad Mall” project rallied in front of the building of Ayandeh Bank in Mashhad. Workers of Tehran Jonoob Company held protest rallies for the third day in a row in Mahshahr.
Protest of staff of Telecommunication Company in Khuzestan:
Shareholders of Cryptoland Exchange:
Workers’ protest in Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Agro-Industry:
On June 14th, a greengrocer was arrested at his workplace in Ahvaz in Khuzestan Province after his comments on the recent actions of Ebrahim Raisi’s presidential campaign.
According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, the grocer was arrested by security forces and transferred to an unknown location.
Recently, a video of the greengrocer was published on social media, in which he says that the election campaign of Ebrahim Raisi extorted money from greengrocers of a daily market under the pretext of helping the campaign.
As of this writing, the charges against him and his whereabouts are unknown.
According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, a number of protests took place in different parts of the country this week. Below is a quick recap and footage from the demonstrations.
Saturday, May 29
On Saturday, May 29, A group of farmers in Ahvaz city held a rally in front of the Khuzestan governor’s building near the Salman water supply canal to protest water shortages. Teachers of Green Result-Letter rallied in front of the Ministry of Education building in Tehran. Staff of Imam Khomeini Hospital in Karaj gathered after receiving inaccurate salary payments in the hospital area. Izeh preschool teachers rallied in the city’s education building and protested uncertainty over their employment status. Persian Gulf Holding staff protested in front of the gate of the special Mahshahr site. Protestors called on their demands to be addressed.
Farmers in Ahvaz city and rural areas:
Teachers of Green Result-Letter:
Staff of Imam Khomeini Hospital:
Izeh preschool teachers:
Workers from the Persian Gulf Holding:
Sunday, May 30
On June 30, farmers from different villages of Ahvaz city held a rally for the second consecutive day in front of the Khuzestan governor’s building. Retirees of Khuzestan Steel Company held rallies in several cities including Tehran, Ahvaz, Isfahan, and Rudbar in front of their cities’ Civil Servants Pension Fund buildings. A group of teachers and staff of non-profit schools from different cities gathered in front of the Islamic Consultative Assembly building in Tehran, in front of the Education Department in Isfahan. Several professors at Azad University in Ahvaz, Shiraz, and Isfahan rallied in front of the campus buildings of their towns. Several fired workers of Mahshahr Petroleum Products Distribution Company gathered in front of the entrance of the oil depot of this city. Bankrupted investors in Caspian Financial Institution rallied in front of the Judiciary building in Tehran. Villagers of Bloband from the Kharqan section of Zarandieh city in Markazi Province held rallies as well.
Farmers from different villages of Ahvaz:
Retirees of Khuzestan Steel Company:
Tehran
Khuzestan province
Teachers and staff of non-profit schools in Tehran and Isfahan:
Azad University Protesters:
Ahvaz
Shiraz
Isfahan
Fired workers of Mahshahr Petroleum Products Distribution:
Bankrupted investors in Caspian Financial Institution:
Monday, May 31
Several employees of the Persian Gulf Holding Oil protested in front of Mahshahr Petrochemical Site 4. A group of teachers rallied in front of the Islamic Consultative Assembly building in Tehran. Service staff of the National Iranian Drilling Camp protested in Ahvaz. Staff of Imam Hospital Khomeini protested in Karaj. A group of temporarily employed staff of Mahshahr Petrochemical Special Zone and Bandar Imam held rallies.
Employees of the Persian Gulf Holding Oil:
Temporary employees of Mahshahr Petrochemical:
Service staff of the National Iranian Drilling Camp in Ahvaz:
Staff at Imam Khomeini Hospital in Karaj:
Tuesday, June 1
A group of Haft Tappeh Sugar Cane workers protested in front of the management office complex. A group of landowners in the new city of Pardis gathered in front of the Judiciary building, several of whom lost money to the Mehr View Housing project in Tabriz, at the project’s site. Masjed-e-Soleiman ranchers who lost their livestock to sewage water pollution of Masjed Soleiman Petrochemical protested the devastating oversight. A group of bus drivers in the bus terminal of Shiraz held protest rallies and called on their demands to be addressed.
Landowners in the new city of Pardis:
Masjed-e-Soleiman ranchers:
Mehr View Housing project:
Bus drivers in Shiraz:
Wednesday, June 2
Workers of Haft Tappeh Sugar Cane gathered in front of the complex’s management building for the second day in a row and protested. A group of Ahwaz Water and Wastewater personnel rallied in front of the company’s building.
Workers of Haft Tappeh Sugar Cane (Day 2) :
Thursday, June 3
Workers of Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Cane, who say they have not yet received their salaries for the past two months, rallied for the third day in a row in the company’s yard. Police responded violently to the demonstration. In Tehran, BRT bus drivers rallied to call on their demands to be addressed.
At least 26 citizens were arrested in the cities of Ahvaz and Mahshahr and transferred to an unknown location between May 14 and May 16. Additionally, several citizens with histories of arrest have been summoned for detainment by security services over the phone.
According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, the arrests were made after Eid al-Fitr ceremonies, at which attendants danced and chanted slogans in front of the homes of citizens who were either killed in the November 2019 national protests or executed in recent years.
So far, HRANA has verified the names of “Rasoul Zuhairi son of Karim; Shaker Silawi, Mohammad Silawi, Qais Sawari, Walid Sawari, Hamzeh Chaldawi 34 years old, married, and father of 4 children; Hossein Mazra’eh, Hassan Hezbawi son of Ramazan; Hadi Hezbawi son of Ramazan; Mohsen Hezbawi son of Ramazan; Jamil Hezbawi son of Lefteh; Badrieh Hamidawi, Amin Amir Hatami, 23 years-old; Faisal Hezbawi, son of Ramazan; Keramat Hezbawi, son of Ramazan; and Mojtaba Salihawi from Mahshahr”.
“In the Zoyeh alley in Ahvaz, several citizens gathered in front of the house of Ms. Badrieh Hamidawi, the mother of Ali Tamimi, one of the victims of the November 2019 national protest, and chanted slogans,” an informed source told HRANA. “Ms. Hamidawi was arrested because she greeted them.”
The whereabouts of these citizens and the charges against them are unknown as of this writing. It is worth noting, however, that every year during the months of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr, many Sunni Arab citizens in the Khuzestan province get detained under various pretexts.
