As the anniversary of the nationwide November 2019 protests approaches, security forces have begun to put pressure on victims’ families to deter them from holding ceremonies in remembrance of their killed loved ones.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Farzaneh Ansarifar, the sister of one of the victims, was arrested for a short time to force her to cancel one such ceremony. According to an informed source, she was told that the authorities from Ahvaz had asked for her imprisonment due to inviting people for gathering via Instagram Stories.

In another attempt to deter gathering at the cemetery, the public relations of the Municipality of Behbahan city and the Islamic Council of this city announced that the roads led to the cemetery have been blocked due to the construction. In Behbahan city, the internet connection was intentionally disrupted, and Behbahan citizens Mohsen Ghanavati, Amin Moradi, and Payam Jeyhooni were reportedly arrested by security forces.

During the protests of November 2019 in Behbahan City, security forces used live ammunition against protestors which led to the death of several protestors including Mehrdad Dashinia, Mahmood Dashtinia, Farzad Ansarifar, Mohammad-Hossein Ghanavati and Mohammad Hashamdar.

In November of 2019, an unprecedented increase in fuel prices sparked a wave of protests in dozens of cities across the country. The spokesperson of the Parliamentary National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Seyed Hossein Taghavi announced that 7000 people were arrested during these protests. According to reports of human rights organizations, hundreds were killed by the regime forces.