Activists Adel Seymari and Majid Bavi arrested in Khuzestan

Activists Adel Seymari and Majid Bavi arrested in Khuzestan

Committee of Human Rights Reporters - Following the wave of arrests of minority Arab civilians in Khuzestan province, on Sunday, April 28th Adel Seymari and Majid Bavi were detained in the city of Ahvaz.

According to news sources, plainclothes officials equipped with wireless gadgets and weapons, entered the workplace of Adel Seymari and embarked on an aggressive search, prompting Mr. Seymari and a co-worker to object to their behavior. In response the officials beat them up and detained Adel Seymari.

The reports indicate that at the same time, a number of officials raided the home of Adel Seymari, conducted a massive search and confiscated personal items including his computer, camera, and family photo albums. The officials lashed insults at Adel Seymari’s family members during the raid and threatened them with serious consequences if they divulged what had occurred.

The report adds that also on Sunday April 28th, Majid Bavi, another Khuzestan Arab activist was arrested in the city of Ahvaz and taken to an undisclosed location. There is no reason provided for the arrests while the condition and whereabouts of the two men is unknown.

The two Arab activists were among the protestors against the death sentence and imminent threat of execution of five Ahwazi Arab citizens by the names of Mohammad Ali Amouri, Sayed Jaber Alboshoka, Sayed Mokhtar Alboshoka, Hashem Sha’bani Amouri, and Hadi Rashidi.

In the past months a large number of Ahwazi Arab activists have been summoned and arrested in various cities of Khuzestan province, receiving heavy prison sentences in exile and the death penalty. In June, officials transferred four Ahwazi Arab prisoners from Karoun prison to an unknown location and notified their families that they had been executed.

Ahmed Shaheed, the United Nations special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran, in his recent report drew attention to the plight of Ahwazi Arab citizens, stating that the five facing execution were tortured and not given a fair trial.

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