Families of Victims of Zahedan's 'Bloody Friday' Protest Against Court Ruling: Perpetrators Must Be Tried

A group of families seeking justice for the victims and injured from Zahedan and Khash's 'Bloody Friday' issued a statement protesting the rulings by the Islamic Republic's judiciary, which mandated compensation payments by the shooting officers to the families. According to the statement published on Thursday, January 27, by the 'Baloch Activists Campaign', the families described the 'Bloody Friday' incident in Zahedan as a 'catastrophe' that has been recorded in Iran's history as an example of brutal repression and widespread human rights violations. They recalled that on October 8, 2022, 'the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran systematically carried out a mass killing of defenseless worshippers without warning,' stating: 'This crime led to the death of over 120 people and injured more than 300 others, alongside a wave of arrests and torture that displayed a disturbing image of justice denial, organized repression, and disregard for human dignity.' The protests following the Friday prayers on October 8, 2022, where dozens of protesters were killed by the Islamic Republic's security forces, erupted after reports of the sexual assault of a teenage Baloch girl by a police commander, which occurred almost simultaneously with the death of Mahsa Amini while in the custody of the morality police. The Security Council of Sistan and Baluchestan province has acknowledged the deaths of 35 citizens. The statement, aimed at 'highlighting the victimization' of the Baloch people and 'strengthening national solidarity against repression and injustice,' emphasized that the 'shooting action' by the Islamic Republic's officers against the protesters and the arrest of some of them contradicts Articles 3 and 9 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that 'everyone has the right to life, liberty, and personal security,' while Article 9 emphasizes 'the prohibition of arbitrary arrest and torture'; issues that the families of the victims from Zahedan and Khash claim have been repeatedly violated by the government following this crime. The statement also referenced Article 7 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, which condemns 'the systematic killing of a civilian population,' asserting that the 'Bloody Friday' incident in Zahedan is a clear example of crimes against humanity, as on that day, according to these families, 'the use of military force against a defenseless population engaged in a religious ceremony demonstrates the government's determination to suppress ethnic and religious minorities.' While the judiciary of the Islamic Republic began executing several protesters shortly after the nationwide protests of 2022, on Sunday, January 13, in the case of Zahedan's 'Bloody Friday,' where dozens of protesters were killed by government officers, the culpable officers were acquitted of 'murder' charges and instead received sentences of 10 years in prison and compensation payments. The families of the victims described the court held for the government agents as a 'show trial' that 'only condemned a few low-ranking individuals with insignificant penalties,' asserting that this action is far from 'the right to a fair trial' and 'indicates a lack of will to prosecute the main perpetrators of this catastrophe.' The plaintiffs from Zahedan and Khash questioned: 'Why have the commanders and senior officials responsible for this crime not yet been prosecuted? Are these show trials merely tools to evade justice and calm public opinion? What actions should be taken to support the families of the victims and ensure justice?' They called on the international community, especially the United Nations and human rights organizations, to 'investigate this crime and hold the Islamic Republic of Iran accountable' and to 'impose targeted sanctions against the officials responsible for this catastrophe,' as well as to 'increase diplomatic pressures for the release of detainees and compensation for the families of the victims.' The statement also emphasized the necessity of 'independent international investigations to identify the main perpetrators and instigators of this crime,' 'the trial of those responsible in international or domestic courts with guarantees of judicial independence and impartiality,' and 'supporting the families of the victims and compensating for the material and moral damages incurred.'