Recent Human Rights Report from Ahwaz
An Ahwazi cross border vender shot dead by Iranian border-force
Mohammad Sawari,30 ,married with 2 daughter, a native of the border town, Rofaye, shot dead when he was transferring some sheeps illegally to Iraq on Thursday morning 25th June 2020, in the Imam Reza border road between Iraq and Rofaye, local sources reported. According to the human right activist from inside Ahwaz, three bullets hit Mohammad on back side of his body. He was moved to a hospital in the city of Ahwaz, but he passed away the following day Friday 26 June 2020.
The level of unemployment in Ahwaz is very high, according to Iranian local authorities, it exceed 40% in most of Ahwazi cities. Unemployment, Poverty and deprivation forced people to try different ways to survive. Ahwazi men who lives on the border between Ahwaz and Iraq try different jobs including smuggling goods to Iraq, selling goods in the border check points, using their personal cars as to transfer passengers…, however, it is worth mentioning that these are not easy and permanent jobs. As they are always targeted by the Iranian autorites, similar what happen to Mohammad.
Mohammad Sawari is one of thousands of Ahwazi breadwinners who are struggling to support their families. Mohammad’s father, Kazem Sawari, was executed by the Iranian regime in 1996 on charge of threatening national security and enmity against God.
The Iranian regime has confiscated the agricultural lands and dried out the Hor Al-Adim marshland in order to establish oil companies. As a result of this policy hundreds of thousands of Ahwazi have been affected. The Marshland used to be the main source of income for people who live in cities and villages near it.
They oil companies refuse to employ Ahwazis and provide their labours from other cities inside Iran. According to MP of Khafajia (Dasht Azadegan) only 10 percent of the company’s workers are Arabs and the rest are non-natives.
Rufia is located 25 km west of the city of Hoveyzeh and is located in the border strip and is 3 km away from Hor al-Adim or Hor Hoveyzeh marshland.
An Arab citizen was shot dead by police in Ahwaz
On Sunday 28 June 2020, Reza Bani Torfi (Sakhrawi), son of Khalaf, was shot dead by an Iranian security force in a mobile checkpoint in KianAbad district in the city of Ahwaz, according to local resources.
Reza lives in Akhar-Esfalt district. He leased a car use it as a cab. On Sunday he dropped a passenger in Kin-Abad and was on his way back home while he was asked to stop at checkpoint. He didn’t stop. Ahwazi human rights activists believe that probably he was not able to hear the order or to notice the sign, as normally the security force use blind spots to set their checkpoints.
According to informed source in Ahwaz police force, who provided information under the condition of anonymity, when Reza was shot, his car was searched by the security force but they didn’t find any illegal things in the car. That’s why they put some bottles of alcohols in his car to justify their shooting. According to Iranian law selling, consuming and carrying alcohol is forbidden. Brokers of this rule will face severe punishment
A woman from Khalafiya hanged herself due to poverty
On Sunday 28th June 2020 , Dahab Hamidi, 52, hanged herself. Dahab was a widow with four children. She had been struggling financially since she lost her husband three years ago. She found dead at her house in a village called Shakeria near Khalfia (Ramshir) city.
Zahab used to suffer from diabetes and cholesterol. She was unable to afford the cost of her medication due to poverty. She and her children were laying on the donation provide by the other people. But on Sunday she ended her life.
Human Rights Committee of PADMAZ